London’s
workers face the worst health and safety conditions in the country, according
to a TUC survey of workplace union safety representatives.
London’s
workplaces came out top for problems with violence and threats, long work
hours, display screen equipment, and fatal asbestos fibre. London is also the
bullying capital of Britain, with rates 40 per cent higher than average.
The
main issues of concern in the capital are:
–
overwork and stress – 59 per cent of workplaces
–
display screen equipment – 43 per cent of workplaces – the highest figure in
Britain
–
violence and threats – 37 per cent of workplaces – the highest figure in
Britain
–
long hours – 36 per cent of workplaces – the highest figure in Britain
–
repetitive strain injuries – 36 per cent of workplaces
Worse
still, London’s employers were rated the worst in Great Britain for carrying
out the most basic legal requirement – assessing the risks of work so that
action can be taken to prevent injury and illness at work. Just 38 per cent of
the capital’s employers had carried out a risk assessment considered by union
safety reps to be adequate, compared with the national average of 50 per cent
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TUC
general secretary-elect Brendan Barber said: "London’s employers need to
get their act together if they want to be premier league players – at the
moment they’re in the relegation zone. Workers in the capital are facing
appalling stresses due to long hours and violence, yet these are all problems
that employers can control. We need healthier workplaces for a wealthier
future."
