EU membership and health and safety. The benefits for UK workers – A TUC report

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Publication Date April 2016
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Leaving the EU could put millions of people in the United Kingdom at increased risk of accidents or injuries in the workplace, said a TUC report published on the 28 April 2016 to coincide with International Workers’ Memorial Day.

EU Membership and Health & Safety found that EU legislation had helped stop illnesses and injuries at work, and saved lives.

Much of the health & safety law in the UK was now underpinned by the EU, said the report. Almost two-thirds (63%) of new British health & safety regulations introduced between 1997-2009 originated in Europe (41 out of 65 laws).

These new safety rules have contributed to a reduction in workplace fatalities in the UK. In 1992 there were 368 worker fatalities in Britain; this dropped to 142 in 2015. Over this period, the rate of deaths fell from 1.5 to 0.46 per 100,000 workers.

The report noted a several areas where EU law has had a significant impact:

• The EU forced the UK to strengthen safety rules in construction – one of the most dangerous industries.
• Rules protecting police officers were also made stronger by the EU.
• The EU increased protections against asbestos. Asbestos is the biggest cause of occupational death in the UK – causing 5,000 deaths a year.

If the UK voted to leave the EU, the government would be able to decide whether or not to keep protections derived from EU laws. There was no guarantee that they would keep health & safety legislation at its current level. In fact the UK government had indicated it wanted to reduce this so-called ‘red tape’ of EU protection.

Source Link Link to Main Source https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/EU_Health_Safety_Report.pdf
Related Links
Trades Union Congress: Press Release, 28.04.16: Brexit could put millions of people at greater risk of accident or injury at work, says TUC https://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace-issues/health-and-safety/brexit-could-put-millions-people-greater-risk-accident-or-injury
Trades Union Congress: Tag: International: Europe https://www.tuc.org.uk/international-issues/europe
ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

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