Stress: Still a Workplace Killer
a seminar
Wednesday 14th January 2009
1:30pm – 4:00pm
at the NUT
Hamilton House,
Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD
organised by
The Institute of Employment Rights

programme

• 1:30 Registration
  1. 1:50 Introduction from Chair, Carolyn Jones, Director IER
  2. 2:00 Stress in the Workplace- bad for workers and bad for business

Ian Draper, UK Stress Network

1. 2:30 Stress, injury and death at work: a legal framework

Linda Millband, Thompsons Solicitors

1. 3:00 Tea and coffee
2. 3:15 The European perspective on deregulation and stress at work

Isabelle Schumann, ETUI

1. 3:45 Discussion
   4:00 Close

speakers

Ian Draper is convenor of the UK Stress Network
Carolyn Jones has been Director of the IER since its inception in 1989
Linda Millband is a solicitor at Thompsons Solicitors
Isabelle Schoemann, is a researcher for the European Trade Union Institute, ETUI

about the seminar

The 2008 Stressed Out survey by the Samaritans found that over a third (38 per cent) of Briton’s cited work as one of their biggest stressors. Sixty-eight per cent of people said they are irritable through stress, while 56% said their sleep patterns are disturbed.

In a report entitled ‘A crisis of enforcement’ academics at The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies report that people are more than twice as likely to die from fatal injuries at work than be the victim of a homicide.

Work-related stress accounts for over a third of all new incidences of ill health. In figures from the CBI, an incredible total of 13.8 million working days were lost to work-related stress, depression and anxiety in 2006/07 at a staggering cost of £3.7 billion to the UK economy.

Sleeplessness, clinical depression, suicide, appetite loss, nausea and even heart disease and stroke are all symptoms of workers under stress. While the effects on workers is clear, the economy suffers too – high absenteeism, a higher risk of accidents, industrial relations problems and high labour turnover are the symptoms of workplaces with stressed workers.

So what causes such stress at work? According to medical interviews, the causes include work demands, high case loads in social services and health care, tending additional machines in industry and an increase in the pace of work in many service
sector jobs. Lack of cotrol is also quoted as are poor rewards and no recognition of effort. Consistent across all jobs is a complaint about the unreasonableness of the demands made on workers.

Achieving changes in the culture of work will require a recognition of the health impact of poor work organisation and much greater commitment to challenging norms of management behaviour than the government has yet made.

In this seminar we will bring together legal and technical opinion, pose questions and analyse European perspectives on deregulation and injury and death at work to uncover why stress is still a killer in the UK’s workplaces.

Who should attend

The seminar will be of great interest to trade unionists, employment lawyers, personnel and health and safety specialists, academics and students and those concerned with the development of public policy.

How to book

To reserve your place, complete the form below and send your cheque, made payable to IER.

CPD, NPP and EPP accreditation

This seminar counts for credit hours under the Law Society’s Continuing Development Scheme and the General Council of the Bar’s New Practitioners’ Programme and Established Practitioners’ Programme.

Additional Information

Details of nearby hotels are available from the office. Name changes are accepted up until the time of the event. Delegates who advise IER of their cancellation more than 15 working days in advance will receive a credit note with 10% deduction for administration.

How to get there

Nearest stations are: Kings Cross and St Pancras and Euston
(tube and British Rail)

Cost

IER subscribers and members £45.00
Trade unions £60.00
Commercial £120.00

Booking form

Please reserve __ places at the Stress – still a workplace killer seminar at £
Name
Address
email
Telephone
Organisation
Please invoice me/I enclose a cheque for £
Return completed form to IER, The People’s Centre, 50-54 Mount Pleasant,
Liverpool L3 5SD. Tel 0151 702 6925 Fax 0151 702 6935.

Register for this Seminar