Labour Research January 2008

Reviews

Hazards at work

Organising for safe and healthy workplaces

TUC Publications, 352 pages A4, paperback, £18.00

The TUC has published a revised and updated second edition of its acclaimed Hazards at work book.

In the introduction, general secretary Brendan Barber reminds readers that an estimated 15,000 to 18,000 people die every year as a result of occupational disease and work-related ill health.

This book provides safety reps with the practical tools to do their job. The new format has been well received and this edition includes fully rewritten chapters on smoking and asbestos as well as updates on relevant new laws, including the Corporate Manslaughter Act.

The book is wide-ranging, with content on the major health and safety hazards, advice on how reps should organise to make their workplaces safe, and issues such as safety and gender and young workers.

It is divided into sections on organising for health and safety; legal standards and law enforcement; hazards and ill health at work; and prevention, rehabilitation and compensation.

Hazards at work is a practical guide containing checklists, links for more information — including useful web pages — and other helpful suggestions from the TUC. It is reliable and comprehensive, and should be used by all safety reps.