Prospect support for safety campaign on welding fumes

John Berry, Prospect Defence Project Officer, writes about how our union’s Defence Sector is lending its support to an important campaign to raise awareness of welding fumes.

At this year’s Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions conference, Prospect members heard an impassioned appeal to support the Breathe Safe campaign, which has been raising awareness around the exposure of workers to welding fumes.

It states: “Scientific research shows that exposure to all welding fume can cause lung cancer… Businesses need to take responsibility for the safety of their employees”.

It was a Prospect member who pointed out, that as professional and supervisory grades, they are often exposed to these fumes and had less access to required protection. Safeguarding the health and safety of members is a vital aspect of the trade union movement and a concern for anyone hoping to lead a positive and fruitful post-working life.

The goal of the Breathe Safe campaign is to highlight and campaign for all those whose health is being impacted by exposure to welding fumes. This can apply to those who are full-time welders, as well as those who are exposed to it as part of their job function.

The campaign is looking to highlight the issues which are caused, to demand adequate and effective engineering controls are provided to control fumes arising from those welding activities, working with the government and employers to gain compensation for those effected and to stop it as an issue in the future.

The campaign is now primarily data gathering through this survey and building the case to present to government, to show the link between exposure to fumes and the development of cancer.

As Prospect Defence Sector we have begun highlighting this campaign through the meeting of the Sector (DIG), the work of the H&S Committee and going through the details with individual Branches.

The first ask has been for Branches to make those who may have been affected members aware of the campaign and for them to submit evidence. As the campaign moves on, we will be looking to give further support and collaboration as the Defence Sector of Prospect.

Help the campaign

Contact your local Branch Secretary to make them aware this is of interest to you and to get in touch with their Prospect full-time officer.

For more details, see the campaign website.

If you feel this is relevant to you fill in the survey.

The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions comprises four affiliated unions, Unite, GMB, Community and Prospect, who collectively represent more than 100,000 members.