A return to the Victorian era?

The recently passed Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act - details of which can be found here - has taken another step toward crippling the laws that protect the health and safety of employees in the workplace. In the Act, employers' 114-year-old civil liability for workers' health and safety has been removed, leaving it up to injured workers or the family of the deceased to prove negligence on the employer's part, rather than the usual procedure of the employer providing evidence that they have followed the law.

Elsewhere, legal aid is set to be cut for a second time, with the Ministry of Justice's consultation on another waves of slashes closed this week. And the government's forthcoming Deregulation Bill aims to exclude some self-employed people from health and safety law altogether, in what may be the most bizarre and unnecessary move they have made in this area so far.

This is on top of previous changes to health and safety law, including banning workplace inspections in some industries, unless a worker is injured or dies and cutting funding to the Health and Safety Executive and reviewing its very resistance.

The Institute of Employment Rights has remained one of the only organisation's providing up-to-date and expert news and debate on the complex issue of health and safety law, and now we provide our supporters with two conferences on the matter. Both the events - held in London and Liverpool - feature some of the UK's leading experts and most passionate campaigners in the health and safety field.

Please join us on June 12th in London or July 3rd in Liverpool to explore the current law and debate the next step for trade unions

Take a look at what previous delegates have said...

"Superb Day! Please do a follow up!"

"Case studies are hard-hitting and memorable"

"Excellent research"

"Very informative and enlightening"

Delegate feedback, 2012 health and safety conference

What can the trade union movement do to protect workers?

Solicitors, academics, senior trade unionists and campaigners discuss at the Institute of Employment Rights' Health and Safety at Work conferences in London and Liverpool

Come along and join the debate

Our expert speakers:

Hilda Palmer, Hazards Campaign

Speaking in London and Liverpool

One of our most popular speakers, Hilda Palmer is a passionate campaigner against workplace hazards and is our go-to expert on health and safety issues, particularly when it comes to case studies, up-to-date statistics, and critique of the latest government proposals.

She has worked at Greater Manchester Hazards Centre since it was set up in 1987, and is the Acting Chair of the Hazards Campaign. Hilda also facilitates Families Against Corporate Killers, that was set up in 2006.

Cost

A discount is available to those who pay upfront (before the date of the conference) either online or by cheque. Those who pay by invoice will pay full price.

Three easy ways to pay

London, June 12th 2013

1. Book online with Paypal or a credit/debit card

   Please select the appropriate option from below

   IER subscriber £75.00 GBPTrade union member £90.00 GBPCommercial £220.00 GBPStudent/unwaged £25.00 GBP

   Delegate name(s):

   Name of union/organisation:

   
2. Book by post by filling in our flyer and sending it back with a cheque
3. Book by invoice by filling in our booking form and posting us your order

Liverpool

1. Book online with Paypal or a credit/debit card

   Please select the appropriate option from below

   IER subscriber £75.00 GBPTrade union member £90.00 GBPCommercial £220.00 GBPStudent/unwaged £25.00 GBP

   Delegate name(s):

   Name of union/organisation:

   
2. Book by cheque by filling in our booking form
3. Book by invoice by filling in our booking form

David Whyte, Liverpool University

Speaking in London and Liverpool

David Whyte never fails to wow delegates with his original and unique take on the perversity of health and safety law in the UK. An academic, and a consistently engaging speaker at IER events, we are delighted to invite David back this year.

He is reader in Sociology at the University of Liverpool where he teaches and researches state and corporate power. He has written extensively on safety crimes, death and injury at work and enforcement issues. He was co-author of the Institute's publication Regulatory Surrender: death, injury and the non-enforcement of the law with Steve Tombs.

Steve Cottingham, OH Parsons

Speaking in Liverpool and London

Steve joined OH Parsons for the first time in 1988. After leaving the practice for a few years he then re-joined the practice.

He worked with the NUM during the 1984/5 miners strike. In the aftermath of the strike he represented miners in the Yorkshire area in unfair dismissal claims. He also set up the personal injury claims service for members of the Nottingham NUM.

He has pursued accident claims for employees building the Channel Tunnel in Kent.

He undertakes personal injury work on behalf of employees and workers injured at work as well as those suffering from work related illnesses.

Tony Lennon, Bectu

Speaking in London

Tony Lennon, Research Officer and Former President of BECTU, will speak to delegates about the implications for casualised and self-employed labour of forthcoming changes to health and safety law, which could see many self-employed workers exempt from regulations.

Ben McBride

Speaking in London

Ben started as a trainee at Thompsons in Liverpool nearly 20 years ago. He currently works at Congress House, where he has also served as the GMB staff representative. He specialises in personal injury law on behalf of union members injured at work and has had exceptional success with "stress at work" claims. He has taught law as a part-time lecturer at Westminster Law School, and he enjoys sporting holidays, where he has had first-hand cause to reflect on the balance to be struck between enjoyment and safety!

Andy Fisher

Speaking in Liverpool

A health and safety conference would not be complete without a representative from construction union UCATT, which serves the workers of an industry particularly vulnerable to health and safety hazards. This year, the North West Regional Secretary of UCATT Andy Fisher will present to delegates on how the issue of workplace accidents and injuries - and how workers can be protected from harm - continues to be a major one for construction unions.

Philip Liptrot

Speaking in Liverpool

Representatives of Thompsons Solicitors speak regularly at our events and are consistently praised by delegates for their in-depth explanations of employment law updates and the practical advice they can provide to trade unionists. This year, solicitor Philip Liptrot will join us from the firm to share a presentation he calls "Fifty shades of Grayling", providing an in-depth view and discussion on the way justice has been denied to injured workers.

Simon Hester

Speaking in London

Simon Hester is Chair of Prospect HSE Branch, which represents 1,300 inspectors, scientists and policy staff. He is a longstanding HSE inspector currently working in a frontline construction team in London.

Neil Hope-Collins, Prospect HSE Branch

Speaking in Liverpool

Neil Hope-Collins has been much-praised for his well-structured and in-depth presentations, in which he shares his expertise as a member of Prospect and inspector. You can see an example of a previous presentation Neil gave at an IER conference here