“Work related injuries double in 6 Years”

Well done to “Inside Housing” for exposing this huge rise in work related injuries amongst housing officers. I was interviewed for this piece as the UNISON Housing Association Branch Health & Safety officer. They reported my view that the figures were “shocking” but due to under reporting such statistics actually underplayed the true extent of the problem and that common occupational health illnesses such as work related stress are not reportable in any case.

I also pointed out that in some organisations Housing staff are “encouraged” not to report attacks by residents since they will be blamed for not being “professional enough to avoid being attacked in the first place”. Pretty sick (pardon the pun and thankfully this attitude is not found in all Housing organisations) but true.

Funny enough during last week’s protests by Notting Hill Housing staff I was told by UNISON members that they had been told by a certain, let us say, “very senior manager” (mention no names) something very similar to above.