Election 2017 - What Changes in Health and Safety?
1 June 2017
With the election looming, all the major parties have produced their manifestos. These manifestos all include health and safety, so what can we look forward to after the elections in regard to health, safety and employment?
Labour Party
- Pledged to work with the Health and Safety Executive Committee to introduce mandatory workplace risk assessments for pregnant workers and review the support offered to women in work who have suffered miscarriage.
- Say they will "crack down on unscrupulous employers" and "strengthen safety at work inspections".
- Promised to protect workers' rights following Brexit.
- Commited to the phased removal of asbestos from all schools.
Conservatives
- Pledged to "amend health and safety regulations so that employers would be required to provide appropriate first aid training and needs assessment for mental health, as they currently do for risks to physical health".
- The expectation is that employers would be provided with incentives (one year's relief from employer's National Insurance contributions) to employ certain vulnerable workers.
- Say they will develop the shale gas industry in Britain and establish a new regulator for the sector, which would take over some of the functions of the HSE.
- Say they will not only garuantee but "enhance" workers' rights and protections.
Liberal Democrats
- Pledged to make flexible working, paternity leave and shared parental leave rights acquired on 'day one'.
- Introduce an additional one month period of shared parental leave for fathers to encourage greater uptake amongst men.
- Say they will "ensure that all front-line public service professionals, including in schools and universities receive better training in mental health".
Green Party
- Pledged to work towards "trade rules that respect human rights, labour standards, environmental standards and climate commitments with mechanisms for individuals, groups and communities to bring grievances".
- Plan to "bring mental healthcare in line with physical healthcare", including the introduction of mental health awareness training in the public sector.
It looks like both the Liberals and Labour have identified parental areas with their promises; are these meant to get more of the working public 'on-board'? Most of the parties are also targeting mental health and vulnerable workers with their pledges which is a positive step.
Whichever way you decide to vote on June 8th we can expect some lively debate and some imminent changes in our working environment.