Trade unions UCATT and Unite are organising a lobby of Parliament on Tuesday 11th June. The event titled Save our Safety, focuses on the Government’s persistent attacks on safety rules, which are placing workers in danger.

Prior to the lobby MPs who support the aims of the Save Our Safety lobby will gather with construction workers wearing hard hats holding a banner reading Save Our Safety for a photo opportunity. Construction workers will be lobbying their MPs throughout the day before taking part in a post lobby meeting in Committee Room 14.

Tuesday 11th June

College Green

SW1A

11am

Since the Conservative-led Government took power there has been constant attacks on safety laws and regulations. By the end of this Parliament the Health and Safety Executive will have seen its budget slashed by 35% and it has been forced to scrap many of its key services such as its Infoline.

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As a result of both the Lofstedt and Young Report, many important safety regulations have been scrapped. These include the Tower Crane Regulations and Register and the Construction Head Protection Regulations. As part of the draft Deregulation Bill, the Government is intent on making many self-employed workers exempt from the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Also as a result of the Lofstedt Report and as part of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act, the Government has made it far more difficult for a worker who has been injured at work to claim compensation. In future an injured worker will have to prove that their injury was caused by employer negligence.

Steve Murphy General Secretary of construction union UCATT, said: "The Government’s policies are increasing workplace dangers, this will lead to a rise in deaths and injuries. MPs need to listen to construction workers and ensure that the attacks on safety provisions are not only stopped but reversed."

(CD/MH)