Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Bullying and harassmentEmployee engagementEquality, diversity and inclusionLatest NewsPublic sector

‘Toxic, bullying culture’ and lack of diversity in fire services

by Rob Moss 16 Jan 2020
by Rob Moss 16 Jan 2020 Shutterstock
Shutterstock

Some of England’s fire and rescue services have a “toxic, bullying culture”, a lack of diversity and require significant reform, according to an independent inspection.

In a report published yesterday, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services, Sir Thomas Winsor, also found that the influence of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) prevented reform in some areas.

In its first annual report, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said that fire services would benefit from a code of ethics, which would reinforce how everyone should be treated and how they should treat others – staff at all levels would be empowered to challenge any behaviour contrary to the code.

We utterly refute any suggestion that the FBU have ‘undue influence’ on our service.” – Matt Wrack, FBU

The inspectorate graded England’s 45 fire and rescue services (FRSs) on three aspects of their service: their effectiveness, their efficiency, and on how well they look after their people. Only 16 services were graded good for all three aspects.

For their approach to staff, 18 FRSs were graded “good”, 25 “required improvement” and two services – Avon and West Sussex – received “inadequate” grades. No FRS was deemed “outstanding”.

Sir Thomas said: “We have seen much of which services can and should be proud. We have seen their commitment to their profession and their communities, impressive lifesaving prevention initiatives and their highly skilled emergency response.

“But we have also seen some worrying themes. In particular, some services are not doing enough to make sure buildings are safe for the public. We have also identified barriers the sector faces to becoming more effective and efficient. I am particularly concerned by a notable lack of diversity in the workforce, and, in some services, a toxic, bullying culture.”

HR opportunities in the public sector on Personnel Today


Browse more HR opportunities in the public sector

HMICFRS added: “We have come across some outstanding examples of culture in some services. The best cultures are inclusive and diverse, with committed staff working to common goals. But the culture in some services is toxic. We have come across cases of active bullying and harassment. Disturbingly, some people we spoke to seemed to find the poor treatment of staff by other colleagues amusing.”

Four FRSs were graded outstanding for their approach to workplace values and culture – Derbyshire, Lancashire, Oxfordshire and Staffordshire – but three received “inadequate” ratings – Avon, Essex and Gloucestershire.

Sir Thomas also highlighted there being “unjustifiable variation” in the level of service the public receives across the country.

He said the FBU had a proud history of protecting and improving its members’ rights and recognised the importance of strong trade union representation. “However, the influence of the FBU is considerable in some services,” he said. “I believe it goes too far and is sometimes contrary to the public interest. This is not acceptable: the FBU should not unduly dictate how fire services are provided.”

He gave an example of a team formed to respond to marauding terrorist firearms attacks in Manchester whose members had withdrawn their labour as a result of a pay dispute between the FBU and the service. “As a result, this capability is now being provided by firefighters from Merseyside. A city the size of, and with the risk profile of, Greater Manchester should not have to rely on firefighters from a neighbouring city to provide this function,” said Sir Thomas.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, responded: “We utterly refute any suggestion that the FBU has ‘undue influence’ on our service. We are the democratically elected representatives of professional firefighters. They know best about their service and should have a strong voice in how it is run. Indeed, the chief inspector notes the importance of strong trade union representation.

“Operational fire service matters are intrinsically linked to the health and safety of firefighters and are therefore at the core of our work as a union. Our union has a proud, 100-year history of improving safety for both firefighters and the public as well as leading monumental changes to fire safety regulations.”

On the levels of diversity, Wrack said the issue needs to be seriously addressed. “Since the government scrapped equality targets, there have been no means to hold chief officers to account for their failure to hire firefighters representative of the communities they serve.

“We have long campaigned for and promoted equalities issues in the fire service, but the total lack of recruitment over the past decade has prevented any serious progress in improving diversity.”

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

He described the allegation of bullying in some services as “incredibly worrying”, but said that FBU surveys have identified that bullying largely “emanates from the very top of fire and rescue services”.

Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today

Browse more human resources jobs

Rob Moss

Rob Moss is a business journalist with more than 25 years' experience. He has been editor of Personnel Today since 2010. He joined the publication in 2006 as online editor of the award-winning website. Rob specialises in labour market economics, gender diversity and family-friendly working. He has hosted hundreds of webinar and podcasts. Before writing about HR and employment he ran news and feature desks on publications serving the global optical and eyewear market, the UK electrical industry, and energy markets in Asia and the Middle East.

previous post
Has the ethical veganism ruling broken new ground?
next post
Businesses focus on emotional and financial wellbeing

You may also like

Black security manager awarded £360k after decade of...

20 May 2025

Ministers urged to outlaw misuse of NDAs

7 May 2025

Lincolnshire doctor awarded £250k in race discrimination case

2 May 2025

BBC to ‘act immediately’ on workplace culture review

28 Apr 2025

Philip Green loses human rights case at ECHR

8 Apr 2025

Woman asked ‘why do you want to work’...

3 Apr 2025

One in seven experience workplace abuse, finds major...

2 Apr 2025

Former minister calls for end to ‘two-tier’ use...

2 Apr 2025

University of Sussex attacks Kathleen Stock freedom of...

27 Mar 2025

DSTL scientist constructively dismissed for gender-critical views

24 Mar 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+