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The trade union approach to occupational health and safetyOrganising for a healthy and safe workplace

Getting management to make improvementsPrinted and published by the Building and Wood Workers International - BWI

Geneva, Switzerland. April 2006Design Eve Barker

Introduction

The real heroes behind improvements inworking conditions are trade unionrepresentatitves in the workplace. They talkwith workers, inspect the workplace, findinformation, carry out training, provideadvice and negotiate improvements withmanagement.

This course book is a modest collection oftraining activities and background notesdesigned to help trade unions train theirworkplace representatives to defend workersrights and represent workers interests in thearea of safety, health and welfare at work.

We hope that trade union educators willfind it a useful resource, and that tradeunion organisers and workplacerepresentatives can use the techniques torecruit and organise potential memberseverywhere. Educate! agitate! organise!

P r o t e c t i n g h e a l t h a n d s a f e t y a t w o r k

n o t e s

Main aims :n Identify the main health and safety problems

in our workplacesn Develop a trade union approach to

occupational health and safetyn Investigating hazards at workn Build workers involvement, awareness, and

support on occupational health and safetyn Develop trade union organisation to ensure

that employers eliminate or control risksn Develop confidence, knowledge and skills

MethodologyTrade union training on health and safetyshould be:n Motivatingn Activen DemocraticIt should be action oriented so that it will:n Lead to practical action in the workplacen Improve health and safety conditions for

workers

Experience has shown us that trade unioneducation should be based upon the principlesof co-operation and sharing. These are the basicprinciples of trade union democracy. To encouragethis process, each of the subjects covered in thismanual are based around activities which:n Are designed to be worked on by small groups

of participantsn Have aims describing what should result from

the workn Have a task defining what the small group

should don Allow groups to report back, compare ideas,

and reach conclusions

The Role of the Trainer is to:n Ensure that participants develop confidence by

creating a climate where they can speak freelyn Introduce and provide background

information for each activity. This will be keypoints, not lengthy lectures

n Clarify the aims for the activityn Ensure that the task is understoodn Assist groups without imposingn Structure reports and discussionn Help participants to reach clear conclusions

before moving on to the next activityn Motivate participants to carry out practical

activities in the workplace

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SECTION 1Informationfor trainers1Section

This manual is intended to provide flexibletraining materials for trade unions interestedin strengthening their activities on health andsafety at work.

The activities in this manual can be used totrain:n Shop Stewards/union Health and Safety

Representativesn Branch officials and union organisersn Discussion groups of union members

The manual is divided into three main sections:n The Trade Union Approach to Occupational

Health and Safetyn Organising for a Healthy and Safe

Workplacen Getting Management to Make

Improvements

I n f o r m a t i o n f o r t r a i n e r s

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Selecting the programme, the participants and organising groups:

Numbers: A maximum of 24 participants isstrongly advised. This will give us four groupsof six people. If there are too many people wehave two big problems: first that they are notable to participate to the same degree andsecond, the activities take longer, and so thetimetable can easily get out of control.

Experience: We need to know a little bitabout the experience of the participants.For example, are they all from the same union?The same sector ? Do they have difficulties ingetting time off work to attend training? Do they have a little or a lot of trade unionexperience? If possible, it is preferable to makea selection of course participants with similarexperience and make an appropriateprogramme for them. In any case, we makethese kind of introductions at the start of thecourse. This will help us decide how to splitparticipants into groups for the different courseactivities

Timetable: The timetable must be clear andagreed by everyone so that there are breaksbetween each activity, and that everyone ispunctual. Each activity should take about anhour and a half. There should be a break of 20 -30 minutes every one and a half hours. Thiswill help the participants to concentrate on thecourse work, and gives more opportunities toget to know eachother.

Programme: These materials are designed to beas flexible as possible. On the following pagesyou will find suggested programmes. You can

choose from the activities in this manual to runa four hour orientation module on health andsafety, or to include that on other trade unioncourses. There is also a one day, or three daysuggested programme. There are enoughactivities in this manual to run a complete fiveday course for those trade unionists who canmake use of that opportunity.

Additional resources you will needBasic resources and materials are contained inthis manual. However, it is important thatparticipants carry out the pre-course activity sothat they bring relevant information to thecourse.n Participants should be encouraged to talk to

workers, and gather information on healthand safety in their workplace. They shouldthen bring in relevant documents from theirworkplace and union eg; safety committeeminutes; union policies; collective bargainingagreements on health and safety.

n Trainers should ensure that other essentialresources are provided, includingoccupational health and safety laws in yourcountry; and other occupational health andsafety resources perhaps from governmentand industry .

n IBW publications on health and safety atwork -Ban Asbestos; Make Construction WorkSafe; Solvent and Paint Hazards; Wood Dust-No Thanks; Manufactured Mineral Fibres inConstruction; Safety, Health and Welfare onConstruction Sites - A Training Manual.

n ILO Occupational Health and SafetyConventions, Recommendations and Codes ofPractice, particularly ILO Code of Practice onHealth and Safety in Forestry Work,Convention 155, 167, 162, 170.

Course ProgrammesThe materials in this manual are flexible, sothat they can be used with different groups andwith different timetables. There are enoughactivities herre to run a five day course. Trainerscan select their priority areas for the group.Four activities per day are quite manageable ata fairly relaxed pace. Most of the activities willtake about one and a half hours, except foractivity 14, a negotiating role play, which takestwo and a half to three hours.

On the following pages you have somesuggested Programmes, once you have triedout the activities yourself, you can adapt andimprove them, and decide which programmessuit you best.

DAY 1The Trade Union Approach - Workers Know Best! Health and safety surveys Pre course activity Page 9Course Introductions: Activity 1 Page 9Hazards at Work Activity 2 Page 9Risk Mapping Activity 3 Page 14Health Surveys Activity 4 Page 14

DAY 2The Trade Union Approach - Workers Know Best!Hazards tree Activity 5 Page 14Body Mapping Activity 6 Page 15Tackling Risks: Activity 7 Page 15Organising in the Workplace Activity 8 Page 17Building Support: Activity 9 Page 19

DAY 3Organise! Strong Unions = Safe JobsRole of the Union Safety Rep Activity 10 Page 19Facilities for Reps Activity 11 Page 19Health and Safety Committees Activity 12 Page 21Taking up Problems Activity 13 Page 22

DAY 4Getting Management to Make ImprovementsNegotiating Activity 14 Page 23Accidents what to do Activity 15 Page 25Accidents investigating Activity 16 Page 26

DAY 5Getting Management to Make ImprovementsGetting Management to Act Activity 17 Page 26Collective Bargaining agreements Activity 18 Page 27Managing Health and Safety Activity 19 Page 28 Action Plan Activity 20 Page 29Evaluation Activity 21 Page 29

DAY 1The Trade Union Approach - Workers Know Best! Health and safety surveys Pre course activity Page 9Course Introductions: Activity 1 Page 9Risk Mapping Activity 3 Page 14Body Mapping Activity 6 Page 15Tackling Risks Activity 7 Page 15

DAY 2Organise! Strong Unions = Safe JobsOrganising in the Workplace Activity 8 Page 17Facilities for Reps Activity 11 Page 19Health and Safety Committees Activity 12 Page 21Taking up Problems Activity 13 Page 22

DAY 3Getting Management to Make ImprovementsAccidents investigating Activity 16 Page 26Getting Management to Act Activity 17 Page 26Collective Bargaining agreements Activity 18 Page 27Managing Health and Safety Activity 19 Page 28 Evaluation Activity 21 Page 29

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SECTION 1Informationfor trainers

T h r e e d a y c o u r s e p r o g r a m m e

n o t e s

F i v e d a y c o u r s e p r o g r a m m eP r e c o u r s e a c t i v i t y

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O n e d a y c o u r s e p r o g r a m m e

The Trade Union Approach - Workers Know Best!

Brief Introductions:

Risk Mapping Activity