A dangerous demand

Press, 11 October 1976, Page 16

A dangerous demand

The Canterbury Drivers’ Union has a curious way of ensuring the safety of its members. The union appears to believe that dangerous chemicals in drums will, in some way, be rendered less dangerous if union members receive an extra 15 cents for each drum they carry on their vehicles. Unfortunately, for many years, some waterfront unions have adopted the same attitude towards dangerous substances. But noxious chemicals do not lose their potency when the men handling them are paid more money. If the unions involved are really worried about the health and safety of their members they would do better to insist that more money be spent to improve packaging and handling equipment for dangerous substances. They would welcome the offer of protective clothing made by the drivers’ employers. The unions might even insist that more care, and therefore more

time, be required from drivers as they handle dangerous cargo. The 15 cents a drum being demanded before a cargo waiting at Lyttelton is moved might not Sound much: it would double the wages of the men handling it for the time involved and would add to the costs of the drivers’ employers and the owners of the cargo. But the 15 cents would do almost nothing to compensate any workman injured by a dangerous substance. Nor would it be expected to. The drivers, like all other workers, are protected now by accident compensation insurance paid for by their employers. Those employers should not be required to pay twice in insurance against the same risk. If more money is to be spent to ensure the. safe transit of dangerous goods it should be used to provide safeguards which would reduce the risk to the whole community.