Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • 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
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • 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
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Employment lawOpinionPersonnel records

Learning lessons

by Personnel Today 3 Apr 2005
by Personnel Today 3 Apr 2005

Hats off to the Scottish government for succeeding in developing and implementing a new act that intends to prevent the hiring of dangerous people to work with children – while the UK’s so-called ‘barring scheme’ is still two years away from implementation.

As Melanie Kerr outlines in her report on the Scottish Protection of Children Act (see page 16), Scotland has, as of early this year, put into effect a comprehensive approach to ensuring that employers must report an employee who harms a child in their care, and references must be checked to see if applicants for jobs that involve working with children are on a ‘disqualified from working with children’ list. The Scottish Act clarifies employers’ responsibilities in such matters, which is quite commendable.

The UK government would do well to put its foot to the pedal as Scotland has done, and clarify everyone’s responsibilities in this nightmarish limbo that currently exists.

Elsewhere: the Transport & General Workers Union reported the last week of March that it won more than 72m in accident and injury compensation for its members last year in 12,289 cases. The T&G’s record for supporting its members is admirable, but the implications for British business are staggering: this is just one union, and the amount of time and money invested in awards for accidents and injury is higher than business can tolerate.

The T&G has released the figures to show its members how well it fights on their behalf. But employers should take an altogether different lesson from this. On an individual, personal level, no injury or accident, of course, is acceptable. By putting pound signs and numerals next to injury and accident statistics, employers must see that following the letter of the law and regulations is crucial – to prevent unnecessary harm in the workplace but also as a strategic business practice, and to keep profits where they belong, in the successful operation of UK business.




Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Conflict management: When colleagues turn
next post
Capita chief’s bonus and share options deliver pay hike

You may also like

Employment law changes for 2022 and beyond: update...

1 Jul 2022

Workforce wellbeing and job design: Stephen Bevan talks...

17 Jun 2022

Oxford study highlights best gig economy firms to...

9 Jun 2022

The outdated views of the anti-hybrid working brigade

9 Jun 2022

Tesco appeal against fire and rehire ban to...

8 Jun 2022

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

5 Jun 2022

P&O Ferries boss denies reputational damage after mass...

27 May 2022

Employers lack data to make IR35 worker status...

25 May 2022

Maternity leave: Cost of living crisis highlights need...

25 May 2022

One in five employers planning ‘no jab no...

19 May 2022
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...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 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • 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
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+