We believe that all workers deserve to be treated fairly at work. This includes fair pay, favourable terms and conditions and well managed health and safety conditions.
Every worker has the right to leave work at the end of their shift, in as good or better physical, emotional and mental condition as when they arrived.
Through our work of 5,000 safety reps, we strive to support our members at work and work with employers to minimising safety risk, harm and accidents.
In this section you can find out more about the key health and safety issues and our campaigns to ensure better health and safety in workplaces.
For information and advice on Health and Safety issues at work, see our Get Help section.
Health and safety: key issues
Here you can find out more about the key health and safety issues that we campaign on.
Coronavirus guidance for health and safety reps
These are difficult and challenging times – and a challenging time for UNISON’s safety reps who play such a vital role in keeping workers safe.
Health and Safety campaigns
We aim to raise awareness of health and safety issues at work and use our health and safety activists to campaign to improve working conditions for all.

Become a Safety rep
The most important tools that UNISON has to ensure the health, safety and welfare of our members are our safety representatives, safety officers and safety committees. Our Health and Safety reps play a vital role in the union.
The history of Health and Safety
Explore our interactive timeline. Scroll right to left to move through the history.
Resources
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How to work safely
24 November 2020
noneGuidance for UNISON members as more workplaces open and more staff return to their workplaces. This is a pdf for download only.
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Covid-19 Risk Assessment Presentation
19 May 2020
noneCovid-19 Risk Assessment Presentation
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Ten top tips to make your workplaces safer
14 October 2019
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Health and safety – The Basics. A guide for new UNISON safety reps.
3 July 2019
noneAn invaluable guide for all Health and safety reps. This easy to read booklet will guide you through your rights and duties, give you some basic information on health and safety and point you to some other sources of information and support.
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Health, safety and young people. A UNISON guide for members
19 June 2019
noneA booklet outlining the health and safety issues facing young people in the workplace
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Violence at work – it’s not part of the job
9 April 2019
noneA leaflet outlining what you should do if you are experiencing violence at work
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International Workers’ Memorial Day – poster
6 March 2019
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International Workers’ Memorial Day – leaflet
25 January 2019
noneAn A5 leaflet advertising International Workers’ Memorial Day. This is not year specific so can be used every year.
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Health and Safety and the GIG economy. An organising guide for safety reps
1 November 2018
noneThis guide for UNISON branches and safety reps explains how the GIG economy has affected the health and safety of UNISON members and how branches and safety reps can organise and campaign to represent and recruit members
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We take your health and safety seriously, so should you
23 October 2018
noneA two sided A5 general health and safety leaflet with a join UNISON message. It highlights the fact that we have a network of trained safety reps who can deal with health and safety issues in the workplace. PDF only
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UNISON Health and Safety Unit Structure
26 September 2018
noneInfo Sheet Sept 18
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How about a high five? European health and safety week poster 2018
24 September 2018
noneA downloadable poster advertising UNISON’s activity for European Health and Safety Week
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Respect me
14 August 2018
noneA guide for young workers on bullying and harassment at work
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Women’s Health and Safety
20 March 2018
noneA5 booklet on women’s health and safety that highlights some of the issues and how UNISON can help members deal with these issues
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Equalities and health and safety
6 March 2018
noneA leaflet aimed at encouraging members from the union’s self-organised groups to consider putting themselves forward to become safety reps.
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Behavioural Safety. A guide for members.
20 February 2018
noneBehavioural safety programmes try and claim that workplace injuries are the result of unsafe acts by workers. UNISON is very clear that this approach is not good health and safety management.
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Aches, pains & strains A5 leaflet
20 February 2018
noneA leaflet for members on aches, pains and strains. Are you at risk of harm and what should your employer do?
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Slips and trips leaflet
20 February 2018
noneA leaflet for UNISON members, stewards, and safety representatives on Slips and Trips – is your floor surface an accident waiting to happen? Updated February 2018.
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Are you at risk?
20 February 2018
noneAre You At Risk? – UNISON’s pamphlet which aims to raise awareness about the importance of risk assessment amongst both members and potential members. The pamphlet explains the HSE’s five steps to risk assessment and within each step, includes a point for members to think about their work.Updated February 2018
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Lone working leaflet
20 February 2018
noneA health and safety guide on lone working for members. 8pp A5 booklet.
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Aches, pains and strains poster
8 February 2018
noneAches, pains and strains or asking our bodies to do too much can cause long term or permanent injury. This A4 poster aims to raise awareness amongst members and potential members. Available as a PDF for download only.
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Working Alone – a UNISON guide
2 February 2018
noneA health and safety guide on lone working for safety representatives 20pp A4 booklet. Revised February 2018.
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Policies Legionnaires Disease Information Sheet 2
1 February 2018
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Guarding against stress A toolkit for success
6 November 2017
noneA toolkit for health and safety reps to help them raise and deal with the issue of stress in the workplace
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Tackling Stress at Work PowerPoint
4 October 2017
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Fire Safety Information Sheet Aug 17
25 September 2017
noneThis information sheet aims to give safety reps a basic understanding of fire safety and fire risk assessments under the current law.
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Keeping Safe A5 leaflet on the safety of cleaning materials
9 August 2017
noneAn A5 leaflet on the issue of the safety of cleaning materials and what UNISON is doing to keep staff safe.
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Keeping Clean Keeping Safe Report on the use of chemicals to combat superbugs
8 August 2017
noneA report looking at the issues around the safe use of chemicals when cleaning to combat superbugs. PDF only.
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2017 UNISON stress survey
30 March 2017
none2017 UNISON stress survey: summary report and full data
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Guardians of health and safety – Stickers
29 March 2017
noneGuardians of health and safety stickers. 15 stickers per sheet. Please order number of sheets required, not numbers of stickers.
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Domestic violence and abuse; a trade union issue
2 February 2017
noneAn A4 document outlining why domestic violence and abuse in a trade union issue and including a model agreement between branches and employer. Updated February 2017.
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Slips, Trips and Falls information sheet
30 January 2017
noneSlips, trips and falls (STFs) are often seen as a joke, but they are no laughing matter. They occur all too
frequently and can cause some very serious injuries. -
Are you exposed to hazardous substances at work? A UNISON guide
24 January 2017
noneMost workplaces will contain some hazardous substances and employers must ensure that staff and visitors are not harmed by them. This guide helps you do that.
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Disability and health and safety Updated December 2016
23 December 2016
noneBooklet highlighting some of the workplace health and safety issues faced by disabled workers and advice on how they can be resolved or improved with the help of health and safety and equality legislation. Updated December 2016
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UNISON Members Health and Safety Structure
14 October 2016
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Resilience and well-being. A guide for members.
11 October 2016
noneSome employers are now talking about making workers more resilient. UNISON is very clear that this approach is not good health and safety management.
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Behavioural guide – a new workplace hazard to risk assess
23 February 2016
noneThis guide explains that whilst “human factors” should be considered when managing health and safety, behavioural safety programmes tend to blame workers. The guide looks at common failures for these programmes, and how branches can oppose their introduction.
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Safety in numbers. Health and safety newsletter. Issue 8 Autumn 2015
27 October 2015
noneA four page newsletter aimed at UNISON health and safety reps, branch health and safety officers and UNISON members with an interest in health and safety.
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Are you safe and healthy at work?
11 August 2015
noneA4 poster promoting good health and safety practices in the workplace. Updated August 2015
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Safety in numbers: health and safety newsletter July 2015
1 July 2015
noneA four page newsletter aimed at UNISON health and safety reps, branch health and safety officers and UNISON members with an interest in health and safety
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Safety representatives and safety committees – (brown book) updated 2015
18 May 2015
noneThis booklet is intended for use in education courses and other training situations to provide UNISON safety representatives with information about their legal rights. Updated 2015
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Ebola: Advice for staff working in education and early years settings
17 November 2014
noneInformation Sheet explaining the low risk of transmission oF Ebola within the UK, but what to do if a child, student or colleague is suspected of having contracted the disease
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Asbestos Q&A
21 August 2014
noneAimed primarily at UNISON health & safety reps, this explains what asbestos is, the threat it poses to workers and the public, what UNISON is campaigning for and what branches and members can do to support the campaign and protect their members
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Temperature at work information sheet (Aug 2014 update)
7 August 2014
noneThis guidance gives health and safety advice on workplace temperature, including working outside.
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Leptospirosis health and safety information sheet
14 March 2014
noneLeptospirosis is an infection spread from contact with animal urine. UNISON members at risk include sewage, canal and river workers. This factsheet advises how the infection is transmitted and the precautions which can be taken to avoid the disease.
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UNISON evidence to triennial review of HSE
13 January 2014
noneUNISON evidence is response to call for evidence for triennial review of HSE. This is for information and aimed primarily at UNISON Safety Reps.
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Legionnaires disease health and safety information sheet
17 December 2013
noneIntended for UNISON members and especially safety reps, this guidance explains what the disease is, who is at risk, what are the risk factors in a workplace, and what employers should do to prevent the risks. INcludes a useful branch/safety rep checklist.
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Working at height health and safety information sheet
3 October 2013
noneGuidance on safe working at height and with ladders, checklist and employers duties. Audience – safety reps and members.
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Organising for health and safety course book
17 September 2013
noneA course book for the Organising for Health and Safety course. Can only be ordered by regional education officers.
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Organising for Health and Safety – UNISON guide
10 September 2013
noneInformation for branch health and safety officers and safety reps on how to organise and recruit around health and safety issues
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MRSA health and safety information sheet
10 June 2013
noneThis factsheet about the superbug MRSA highlights prevention and control measures in the workplace. It is aimed at branch officials, stewards and safety reps.
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UNISON inspection notices health and safety information sheet
10 June 2013
noneGuidance for safety reps explaining how to give employers formal notice they are not complying with health and safety legislation in respect of an identified workplace hazard.
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Overcrowding health and safety information sheet
10 June 2013
noneExplains the legal requirement on employers to ensure people can move freely and with ease at work and what action branches can take where this is not the case.
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Noise at work health and safety information sheet
10 June 2013
noneThe problem with noise, assessing risk, and other regulations applying to noise.
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Gloves health and safety information sheet
10 June 2013
noneThis briefing is intended to alert branches to some of the issues they should consider where gloves are concerned.
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First aid at work health and safety information sheet
10 June 2013
noneSpells out what is expected of employers to comply with their legal duty to provide adequate and appropriate first-aid in the workplace.
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Drug and alcohol abuse health and safety information sheet
10 June 2013
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Dermatitis health and safety information sheet
10 June 2013
noneThis Information Sheet features: Symptoms, causes and prevention, including the legal protections for people working with hazardous substances and what employers must do to avoid risk to staff.
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Eye tests and VDUs health and safety information sheet
10 June 2013
noneInformation about the problems associated with using display equipment, and of the legal duty on employers to provide workers with eye tests and rest breaks.
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Hand using special computer mouse. Credit: Chris Taylor
5 November 2012
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Messy office
29 October 2012
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Blood pressure testing. Credit: BigStock
23 October 2012
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woman with cigarette. Royalty free.
22 October 2012
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manual handling. Credit: Chris Taylor
18 October 2012
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Applying bandage to hand. Credit: Big Stock
18 October 2012
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Injured arm. Credit: Big Stock
18 October 2012
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