Chamber
Plenary, 30 Oct 2003
30 Oct 2003 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
European Week for Safety and Health
I must say to Cathy Peattie that I do not see that health and safety is specifically a reserved matter—it is a matter of great concern to all members. Indeed, we all have a responsibility to our staff and for the conditions under which they work.
I refer to the European week for safety and health. Health and safety do not relate to any one week; they relate to every day, hour and second that we work in whatever workplace and, perhaps even more, in our homes. When we analyse accidents, we find that one of the most dangerous situations in which to carry out work is on our own in our home. We should all take that on board.
On the European aspect, just as health and safety has no boundaries in time, it has no geographical boundaries. I sympathise with the people in Russia who have recently been through horrendous times with mining incidents in the past few weeks. I am sure that all members' sympathy goes out to those who were involved in those incidents.
I take marginal exception to the motion, in that it mentions the unions but not the employers. Shona Robison mentioned the sterling efforts of employers in trying to keep up reduction of accidents in their workplaces. She mentioned the private and public sectors' coming together—in their own time, no doubt—in the organisation of which she is president. That is an indication of a commitment by employers to trying to do something about the health and safety records of their companies and groups.
I go back to my experiences of employer involvement in the 1960s when I worked in the power industry. At that time, we had group schemes to try to encourage a situation in which accidents did not happen in dangerous work spaces. In one scheme, various groups were created within the power station. Their objective was to go a full year without a reportable accident. To be honest, we had reportable accidents, and few groups made the full year, but one group—of which I was lucky to be a part—managed a trip to a theatre in Glasgow as a reward for our compliance with the regulations to the extent that there were no accidents.
I acknowledge Cathy Peattie's point about some of the industries that deserve special attention, in particular agriculture and construction. The construction industry has moved a long way. It has its safety representatives on the ground floor and they constantly watch the work force, but often the work force is prepared to take the stupid risks that end in disaster.
I refer to the European week for safety and health. Health and safety do not relate to any one week; they relate to every day, hour and second that we work in whatever workplace and, perhaps even more, in our homes. When we analyse accidents, we find that one of the most dangerous situations in which to carry out work is on our own in our home. We should all take that on board.
On the European aspect, just as health and safety has no boundaries in time, it has no geographical boundaries. I sympathise with the people in Russia who have recently been through horrendous times with mining incidents in the past few weeks. I am sure that all members' sympathy goes out to those who were involved in those incidents.
I take marginal exception to the motion, in that it mentions the unions but not the employers. Shona Robison mentioned the sterling efforts of employers in trying to keep up reduction of accidents in their workplaces. She mentioned the private and public sectors' coming together—in their own time, no doubt—in the organisation of which she is president. That is an indication of a commitment by employers to trying to do something about the health and safety records of their companies and groups.
I go back to my experiences of employer involvement in the 1960s when I worked in the power industry. At that time, we had group schemes to try to encourage a situation in which accidents did not happen in dangerous work spaces. In one scheme, various groups were created within the power station. Their objective was to go a full year without a reportable accident. To be honest, we had reportable accidents, and few groups made the full year, but one group—of which I was lucky to be a part—managed a trip to a theatre in Glasgow as a reward for our compliance with the regulations to the extent that there were no accidents.
I acknowledge Cathy Peattie's point about some of the industries that deserve special attention, in particular agriculture and construction. The construction industry has moved a long way. It has its safety representatives on the ground floor and they constantly watch the work force, but often the work force is prepared to take the stupid risks that end in disaster.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S2M-442, in the name of Karen Gillon, on the European week for safety and health. Th...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes that the European Week for Safety and Health will take place between 13 and 19 October 2003; welcomes the week's acknowledgement of...
Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab):
Lab
I am pleased to bring to the chamber this debate on the European week for safety and health at work. It is a matter that affects us all as workers and, given...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
Eight members have indicated that they wish to speak in the debate. It should be possible for everyone to speak.
Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Karen Gillon on securing this evening's important debate. I will begin by declaring an interest. I am the president of the Tayside industrial ...
Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab):
Lab
I thank Karen Gillon for bringing this important debate to Parliament. I also welcome the European week for safety and health and I take this opportunity to ...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I must say to Cathy Peattie that I do not see that health and safety is specifically a reserved matter—it is a matter of great concern to all members. Indeed...
Cathy Peattie:
Lab
Will Phil Gallie give way?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
No—he is in his last minute.
Phil Gallie:
Con
I am sorry. I would have liked to take that intervention. I will mention members' responsibilities. I am on the health and safety committee that the Parliame...
Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I begin by congratulating Karen Gillon on securing time for the debate. Despite her concerns about its being in the Thursday afternoon slot, I am sure that t...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
It is excellent that Karen Gillon has secured the debate and has linked it with the European Union. One of the benefits of the EU is that it provides us with...
Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP):
SSP
I, too, thank Karen Gillon for bringing the debate to the Parliament. The issue of health and safety at work is vast, but the aim of the European week for sa...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
I, too, congratulate Karen Gillon on securing today's debate. Health and safety does not normally reach out and grab people as a subject that they want to di...
Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP):
SNP
I am grateful to Karen Gillon for bringing the motion before us today.The theme of the European week for safety and health at work is really the prevention o...
The Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning (Lewis Macdonald):
Lab
I, too, congratulate Karen Gillon on lodging the motion and providing an opportunity to debate safety and health in the workplace. The Scottish Executive con...
Brian Adam:
SNP
Proposals for two members' bills that affect health and safety at work are before the Parliament. Will the minister indicate how the Executive perceives the ...
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
Both proposals are too important to be tagged on to a debate on a wider issue. I do not intend to provide a definitive Executive view on them this evening. H...
Meeting closed at 18:01.