Staying safe in the storm

Unite members are being urged to put safety first as Storm Goretti brings yellow and amber weather warnings to large parts of the UK.

The Met Office has given multiple warnings for snow and ice, wind and rain from today (8 Jan) til Friday, with some highlighting a “danger to life”.

In conditions like this workers should not be put in a position that puts themselves in any sort of potential danger.

Unite Health and Safety Reps have the power to bring work to a halt if it is considered too dangerous to continue, with extreme weather events like Storm Goretti often covered in agreements that are negotiated between the union and employer.

Samuel Thomas is a Senior Safety Representative at Hinkley Point C and said that senior managers and safety reps are meeting regularly and monitoring the situation.

Sam said, “We work to a formal document that empowers safety reps to take senior management and the safety team to site and, where necessary, stop work, even if management or safety disagree. That is the standard we operate to.”

Sam said the forecasts show conditions are expected to worsen over the coming hours, with changes to works anticipated later in the day.

Sam added, “If conditions deteriorate further, the Site Director has the authority to demobilise the site, which has happened previously. In addition, authorised absence is sometimes used to allow people to leave early to avoid severe weather conditions.”

Last year Unite Ireland launched its Workers in the Eye of the Storm report aimed at safeguarding workers during extreme weather events. The report detailed the results of a survey of Unite members on their experiences during Storm Éowyn and presents a range of legislative proposals to protect workers from the impact of extreme weather events.

At the launch Unite regional secretary Susan Fitzgerald highlighted the need for changes to the law to protect workers during extreme weather, saying: “Existing health and safety legislation dates back to the 1970s and has not kept pace with the reality of climate change. It’s time to climate-proof our health and safety legislation and ensure that workers are not made to pay for a climate crisis not of their making.”

Though the focus is often on outdoor workers in construction, agriculture and transport, the impact of storms on workers and their ability to get to work can affect any sector.

At last July’s Unite Policy Conference Unite delegates overwhelmingly carried a motion demanding greater protections in extreme weather events.

Unite delegate Lotte Fisher, who works in hospitality in Scotland, highlighted the harrowing experiences of hospitality workers, the majority of whom were asked to work during Storm Eowyn.

This, Lotte said, “was despite a red weather warning that constituted a major threat to life”.

“The venues that did shut only shut after enough workers refused to go in, or after public pressure. This made clear how willing these employers are to risk their employees? safety in the pursuit of even minor financial gain.”

Any Unite members who are concerned about the impact that the current dangerous weather conditions will have on their work, or their ability to get to work, should contact their Unite Health and Safety Rep straight away.

By Keith Hatch

Photo by Getty