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Asda
Cold Weather – Is it freezing cold in your store? Then know the facts.
Minimum recommended working temperatures in Ambient Areas are 16c if sedentary, i.e. sat on a check out or stood on a kiosk so there is minimum movement.
Minimum recommended working temperatures if Physically Active is 13c, i.e. dragging comps stacking shelves cleaning etc.
If the temperature is too cold, colleagues should be allowed to wear extra clothing and be provided with a set of thermal under garments free of charge and be allowed hot drink breaks every hour, raise the issue with GSM/PSM and ask to see temperature settings in store they should contact City Facilities to correct problem, if not ring Colleague Relations and also let Workplace Representative or GMB Officer know.
Christmas Day in Supermarkets – (Ex Netto Stores)
Were you contracted to Christmas Day last year, did you get told to book holidays and take day with no pay, if you did you have been wrongly advised if you were contracted to Sundays then you must be paid back pay, if you have had to book holidays or lost pay show it to your Manager and get holiday/pay reinstated if you cannot resolve it contact the Union Office.
Health and Safety GMB is recognised as the leading British trade union on health, safety and environmental issues. GMB's health, safety and environmental policy states that the union will work:
'To improve the quality of life of all GMB members....by encouraging best practise on health, safety and environmental systems and standards at work, to reduce risks and to continuously raise standards.'
GMB aim to develop this policy in a practical way, and to take steps to ensure that where our members work we strive to make their workplace safer.
GMB health & safety policy and approach
GMB has a distinctive approach to dealing with health & safety matters. We support around 20 000 workplace based Safety Representatives. Our Safety Reps are union safety watchdogs who represent their member's interests on health and safety matters.
Making the workplace safer – our policy
GMB believes that health & safety need not be a complicated process understood only by 'experts'. Indeed we believe that people are most likely to understand the risks associated with a particular job are those who actually do the work.
The starting point for the GMB approach to reducing accidents and ill health caused by work, is to identify what can cause harm. This could be noise, asbestos, lifting heavy boxes, dangerous machinery etc. Once the hazards have been identified the next step is to eliminate (or reduce as much as possible) the risk of these things causing harm.
GMB approach to preventing injuries and ill health at work
If this is not possible;
- Control the risk
- Look at ways to make the job safer. This could be through changing the ways the job is done or by providing a barrier between the hazard and the worker.
- Once the job has been made as safe as possible, thought can be given to extra safeguards such as;
- Personal protective equipment - Mask, gloves and other protective equipment is the least effective method of preventing harm as it does not make the task itself any safer. But it should be considered once the hazard has been identified and employers have tried to eliminate the risk and put control measures in place.
- Employee consultation and involvement
It is impossible to try improve health & safety standards without involvement of the workforce. There have been many attempts to involve the workforce through consultation – the most successful method is through trade union Safety Representatives.
Independent research carried out by Sussex University has shown that where trade union Safety Reps are involved and consulted on health & safety, the accident rate is half that than where the managers alone make decisions about health & safety.
You are twice as safe in the GMB North West & Irish Region
Supporting GMB members
GMB is committed to providing our members with the best possible value for money and is continually working to promote safer workplaces. All GMB members can expect:
- Access to GMB health & safety publications including:
• Full length health & safety guides
• News Services
• Bulletins
• Hazard specific leaflets
• Occupational health & safety leaflets
• Other information as applicable
- Help and advice on health and safety enquiries
• In the first instance this should be done by enquiry via a GMB Safety Rep.
• If they cannot help or the workplace does not yet have a safety rep, an Organiser should be contacted. They may refer the enquiry to the Regional Health & Safety Officer.
- Action in the workplace
- Members have the right to elect Safety Reps to negotiate on their behalf on health & safety matters.
- Where the union is recognised there should be a Safety Committee, where the GMB Safety Representative will raise concerns.
- GMB Safety Representatives have the legal right to investigate any complaints members may have about potential hazards, accidents, occupational diseases or dangerous occurrences.
- Safety Reps should consult members about health & safety and inform them of any decisions taken by employers or by enforcing authorities such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or Environmental Health Officer (EHO).
Supporting GMB Safety Representatives
GMB Safety Reps do an absolutely vital job. Although mainly volunteers, trade union appointed Safety Reps have prevented at least 500 000 accidents in the last 20 years and have saved countless lives that would have been lost without their intervention.
Support from GMB
GMB does not expect Safety Reps to do the job alone. To be successful they need the help and support from their members, other Safety Reps and the Union Stewards. GMB Safety Reps also have a Regional Organiser in Liverpool who can help and advise where necessary.
GMB Safety Reps are fully encouraged to take up the opportunity to attend health & safety training courses. Surveys prove that trained Safety Representatives are the most effective in influencing managers. Training helps Safety Reps to do the job more effectively and some courses may also lead to a qualification.
GMB also offers advice and information on working in partnership with employers and in some cases is able to offer joint training.
10 Safety Representatives' Tasks Safety Reps have a wide range of legal rights under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977.
GMB Safety Reps should aim to carry out these 10 tasks regularly:
- Recruit other employees in GMB
- Inspect the workplace every three months or when working conditions change
- Ensure their employers consults with them 'in good time' over any changes affecting heath & safety
- investigate potential hazards, accidents and dangerous occurrences
- Investigate members' complaints
- Consult their members and keep them informed of health and safety developments
- Contact the local HSE Inspector or Environmental Health Officer to inform them who the GMB Safety Representatives are for that workplace
- Ensure that they receive information from their employer, the HSE or EHO Inspector and the GMB. This information should be passed on or put on a notice board for members
- Write with a fellow Safety Representative to request the information of a Safety Committee, unless one already exists
- Ensure that their employer provides them with reasonable facilities and time off to do the job properly
Organising around Health & Safety
It is important that GMB Safety Reps use both their facility time and their knowledge to represent existing members and to demonstrate to potential members the benefits of GMB membership. The local workplace knowledge can be utilised into challenging management and showing that GMB training and back up resources cab be channelled into the workplace improvements in health & safety and welfare. Make sure that your members are informed of any improvements through the GMB and your efforts.
Alfie Jones and Ken Lowe
Regional Education Officers
Liverpool
Regional Office
Columbus Quay
Riverside Drive Liverpool
L3 4GB
0151 727 0077
alf.jones@gmb.org.uk
ken.lowe@gmb.org.uk
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