The HSE Reach Out To Polish Construction Workers
The health and Safety Executive have begun a new initiative to reach out to the over 2 million construction workers and in particular migrant workers being employed in the construction industry in the UK.
Around 2% of the entire British workforce is made up of Polish nationals, making them the largest immigrant work force. As such the HSE has made contact with the Polish embassy, in order to assist Polish workers who have health and safety issues at their place of work
The Polish embassy is making it clear to its nationals in the UK that the HSE have no interest in immigration issues and will not be enquiring into a workers immigration status.
They are asking the Polish Embassy to assure workers that their only interest is rooting out health and safety abuses that endanger construction workers regardless of if their employment status is legal or not.
The HSE has made it clear undertaking to the Polish authorities that if a worker makes a complaint they will not pass on any information regarding that individual to the immigration authorities nor can they be required to do so under British law.
The intention of the exercise is to make Polish workers more aware of British health and safety regulations to avoid them being exploited and placed in working conditions that would not be acceptable to British workers.
Those companies that make use of migrant labour either legally or illegally should be aware that workers now have a route by which they can complain about health and safety practices which potentially could cause very serious problems for companies. Contact the experts at Workplace Law Training to find out about their range of accredited NEBOSH courses which help your staff and management in all aspects of health and safety.
