§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many deaths and serious accidents have taken place among waterways employees during each year since 1980.
§ Mr. ForthInjuries to employees arising from inland water transport services, occurring in the years 1986–87 to 1989–90 (provisional), as reported1 to HSE's factory and agricultural inspectorates.
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Date of accident2 Fatal Major Over 3 day 1986–87 — 4 24 1987–88 — 4 44 1988–89 — 5 54 1989–903 1 10 37 1 Under the Reporting of injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1985. 2 Years commencing 1 April. Note:—Information for earlier years was reported under different legislation and recorded under a different computerised coding system, not separately identifying the inland waterway sector.
3 Provisional.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the listed principal causes for deaths and serious accidents of waterways workers.
§ Mr. ForthInjuries to employees arising from inland waterway transport support services, occurring in the years 1986–87 to 1989–901 (provisional), as reported2 to HSE's factory and agricultural inspectorates.
Kind of Accident Fatal Major Over 3 Day Contact with moving machinery — 1 5 Struck by moving including flying/ falling object — 7 27 Struck by moving vehicle — 5 2 Strike against something fixed or stationary — — 15 Injured while handling, lifting or carrying — — 49 Slip, trip or fall on same level — 1 32 Fall from a height — 8 17 Drowning or asphyxiation 1 — — Other/Not known — 1 12 Total 1 23 159 1Years commencing 1 April 2 Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1985 Information for earlier years was reported under different legislation and recorded under a different computerised coding system, not separately identifying the inland waterway sector.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he has taken to ensure that employers of waterways workers are made fully aware of the importance of employers' safety policies.
§ Mr. ForthSection 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974—HSW—requires every employer of five or more persons to prepare and keep up to date a written statement of his general policy with respect to the health and safety of his employees, and the organisation and arrangements for carrying out that policy and bringing it to the attention of his employees.
During visits to employers of waterways workers engaged in activities for which the Health and Safety Executive—HSE—is the enforcing authority for health and safety legislation, HSE inspectors remind employers of their duties under the HSW Act and pursue their enquiries and any enforcement action to the highest levels where standards of compliance do not measure up to those required.
In addition, the Health and Safety Commission and HSE have published general guidance for employers on the preparation of safety policies.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, following privatisation of ports, he will set up a system to monitor the health and safety of workers on rivers and canals.
§ Mr. ForthThe privatisation of ports does not affect the legislation already in place which imposes duties on employers, as well as masters and owners of vessels to 557W ensure the health and safety of workers on rivers and canals. There is therefore no need to set up a further monitoring system.