14/07/2008
The British trade union Prospect, representing 102,000 salaried employees from the public and private sectors, has recently launched a campaign to alert public opinion to the appalling situation of labour inspection in the UK.

Prospect deplored severe budget cuts to the Health and Safety Executive budget. Every year, since 2002, it has been reduced by below inflation rates.

The trade union points out the lack of resources supplied to labour inspection. It disclosed that HSE resources for investigations could only cover 11% of reported major injuries and consequently, it could only investigate half the number of cases compared to the early part of the 1990s.

Prospect has urged its members to address a complaint to their MPs so that the level of health and safety inspection could be raised and higher fines for breaches of regulations could be imposed.

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