Thursday 3 November, 2011

Media Release

EPMU welcomes Health & Safety policy

The EPMU is welcoming Labour’s health and safety policy, announced today, saying it signals a move away from the hands-off, self regulation approach that has been an abysmal failure, costing lives and serious accidents.

“With the Pike River anniversary looming we are reminded of the critical failure of such light handed health and safety regulatory systems with unbelievably tragic results,” says Ged O’Connell, assistant national secretary. “We now all know there are some serious short-comings in mine safety that must be rectified, and this can be amplified across other industries.”

Labour announced earlier this year that it was committed to reinstating mine check inspectors, workers who are elected by their mining colleagues with the specific role of ensuring mine safety. Check inspectors were abolished by the National government in the early 1990s.

“When people are working in very dangerous industries you can’t have a system that lets companies self-regulate because it’s seen as good for business. You only have to look at the social and financial toll from the Pike disaster to understand the costs are too high,” says Mr O’Connell. “It’s only fair that we have a system where working people can expect to go to work everyday knowing they will return safe to their families at the end of it.”

ends

© Scoop Media