GMB DEMANDS HERMES COME CLEAN
OVER RISK TO COURIERS & PUBLIC
F
orcing couriers who deliver on public highways to
work over 13 days consecutively, for more than 12
hours a day in a number of instances, must now be
considered a major publi c safety issue says GMB.
GMB, the union for couriers, has written to Hermes
demanding clarification from the company on a number
of serious issues over working conditions affecting their
couriers during the festive peak period.
Several courier companies, including Hermes, appear to
have passed all the risk in terms of employment conditions
and working time regulations to individual couriers - with
no thought to their safety of that of the general public.
Hermes pressurised couriers to work 13 days
consecutively during the festive peak period, it is claimed.
Most couriers worked more than 12 hours each day during
December. Many couriers who wanted a day off say
they were either threatened that their services would be
terminated, or that their delivery rounds would be cut. The
company belatedly also sent out notices to couriers trying
to offer cash incentives of up to £20 for working extra
Sundays.
GMB’s letter to Hermes asks a number of searching
questions over the company’s arbitrary treatment of
Couriers and their service model which it appears to be
based on passing employers risks on public safety to
individual couriers.
Mick Rix, GMB National Officer, said,
“GMB is calling on Hermes to come clean over its
responsibility as an employer.
“Forcing couriers who deliver on public highways to work
over 13 days consecutively, and in a number of instances,
for more than 12 hours a day, must now be considered a
major public safety issue.
“Employers such as Hermes believe they have passed all
the risk for liability to the individual.
“We are calling on the Government, especially the
Department for Transport, to investigate the link between
excessive hours and consecutive days working and the
increasing threat to public safety to other road users.
“Companies such as Hermes cannot evade their
responsibility and pass the risk on to their couriers.”
See more at: www.gmb.org.uk
OBE AWARDED TO BOHS PAST PRESIDENT
B
OHS, the Chartered Society for Worker Health
Protection, is delighted that Trevor Ogden, a past
president, has been awarded an OBE in the 2018
New Year’s Honours list for services to occupational
hygiene and workplace air quality.
Trevor was president of BOHS back in 1991, and has
enjoyed a long and distinguished career in occupational
hygiene; accomplishing numerous, pre-eminent
achievements, including:
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Chief Editor of the Annals of Work Exposures
and Health, from 1997 – 2012.
Developed a method of measuring the inhalation
hazard of radon progeny in flammable atmospheres,
which became a standard method for these
measurements in British coalmines.
Developed the Regulatory Interlaboratory Counting
Exchanges (RICE) quality assurance scheme and
methods of internal quality control: 35 years later
these are still used by the HSE publication HSG248
“The Analysts’ Guide”, and UKAS guidance for
asbestos counting accreditation.
You can hear more about Trevor’s latest work – just part of a packed
and exciting conference programme – by booking your place BOHS
Annual Conference. Go to www.oh-2018.com for more information.
Trevor’s award means he is now part of another select
group - BOHS past presidents who have been honoured
with an OBE, including: Michael Molyneux (president in
1979); Charles Veys (1989); and Bob Sithamparandarajah
(Bob Rajan, 2012).
Simon Festing, CEO of BOHS, said:
“BOHS offers sincere congratulations to Trevor in
being recognised for the considerable contributions he’s
made to occupational hygiene over the years. His award
coincides with a noteworthy year for BOHS as we mark
our 65th anniversary – a timely opportunity to reflect on
our achievements and the impact made by occupational
hygiene to improving worker health protection.”
Simon added:
“In order to continue to make an impact, it is critical
to ensure that we, along with our stakeholders, maintain
our efforts to achieve our vision of a healthy working
environment for everyone.”
Trevor continues to make contributions to the world of
worker health protection. Recently, he has been a British
delegate and BOHS nominee to the European Committee
for Standardization (CEN), which has revised EN689 on
measuring compliance with Occupational Exposure Limit
(OELs).
This April, 43 years after his first presentation at a BOHS
conference, Trevor Ogden will present on his latest work at
BOHS’ Annual Conference OH2018, in Stratford-upon-Avon.
HSE INTERNATIONAL
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