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FATALITES at work have fallen by almost 80 per cent since Labour introduced the Health and Safety at Work Act in 1974.
Non-fatal injuries are down by more than 75 per cent.
Yesterday, October 1, marked the Act’s 40th anniversary.
But a union leader said the protections provided by the Act are at risk because of the Coalition Government’s “obsession” with de-regulation, cuts and political interference.
John Hannett, general secretary of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), said: “Cuts and political interference from Ministers mean that most workplaces are no longer being inspected. Local authorities enforce health and safety in shops and they have suffered cuts, with latest estimates indicating that local authority inspections have plummeted by 90 per cent or more since 2010.
“The law is needed just as much today as it was in 1974, to protect the health, safety and welfare of all workers.”
