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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think DH's employer needs to do something about this.

22 replies

BigSexyCrimeUnit · 05/05/2019 17:04

DH has worked for the same company for nearly 30 years, since he was a teenager. A few years ago the company had a serious accident at work where a few employees were injured and there was a court case where the company was found negligent.

Shortly after that the company brought in safety reports for each area of the factory and got staff to fill out these safety reports. They were supposed to be voluntary. DH refused to do them as his area is extremely unsafe with fire exits often blocked, things just dumped all over the place and stacked in really unsafe ways, unauthorised access by all sorts of people who shouldn't be in there. The problem is that the whole area is covered by three departments and no-one takes responsibility for the area. DH felt is was a box-ticking exercise and he didn't want the responsibility of saying it was safe when it wasn't.

When DH refused to do the safety report he was hounded by his manager to do them. At first he refused but after continual hassle about them he bit the bullet and did one in good faith where he pointed out all the safety issues with photographs etc. Management said he had gone 'over the top' and changed the figures he had given to suit their own agenda. He has all their emails about this and the changed report. He also has internal emails sent between managers admitting there are safety issues in the area and they are worried that there will be a repeat of an accident that took place in another factory nearby.

DH ended up on high doses of antidepressants and was referred for CBT. He told work about this and they promised that the issues in the area would be sorted out. They never have been, in fact things have got steadily worse. So much so that DH has now gone off on the sick - he has never taken any sick leave before except when he had an operation.

OP posts:
IsYourGoogleBroken · 05/05/2019 17:06

They aren't going to are they ?

So its up to the employees

www.hse.gov.uk/

report it.

SleepingStandingUp · 05/05/2019 17:16

Surely filling them in honestly a keeping a copy would do better in the event of an accident then allowing the company to claim they never knew

If he has the original copy, I agree with Google, he needs to report it. And if when he goes back he needs to fill them in honestly

BeautifulMaudOHara · 05/05/2019 17:17

I think whistleblowing is an option

IWentAwayIStayedAway · 05/05/2019 17:21

Take legal advise. Stress due to work issues not being investigated that have been highlighted falls under health and safety as well

BigSexyCrimeUnit · 05/05/2019 17:21

Not sure what you mean SleepingStandingUp he did submit the report honestly and has kept a copy of the original and the changed report.

I think he does need to report it SleepingStandingUp but whistleblowing has consequences and I think he is very worried about them. He's not well at the moment.

OP posts:
IsYourGoogleBroken · 05/05/2019 17:24

Whistle blow anonymously - I gave you the link

Either that or he risks injury or death or the injury or deaths of his colleagues. His choice.

BigSexyCrimeUnit · 05/05/2019 17:26

Sorry, that second paragraph was for IsYourGoogleBroken

OP posts:
BigSexyCrimeUnit · 05/05/2019 17:31

Yes, I take your point, but it's really not anonymous when you've already made complaints about it. It doesn't take a genius to work out who's blown the whistle in those circumstances.

Thank you IWentAwayIStayedAway that's what I thought.

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 05/05/2019 17:35

I meant this DH refused to do them
I mean that IF he returns to work once he is better, refusing to do them clearly doesn't resolve the issue or his stress levels and supports the company in the event of an accident - "oh, we didn't know. We told X to do the report but he refused!!". I'm not saying the accident would be his fault.
So he needs to keep doing them every time they'd die, be honest, keep a copy of e erything somewhere outside of work and as above, get some legal advice to report it

YouBumder · 05/05/2019 17:37

What else do you expect people to say?

He either blows the whistle or he doesn’t and accepts the consequences either way.

BigSexyCrimeUnit · 05/05/2019 17:51

At this point my only concern is helping DH through this to be honest. I’d prefer he left and worked elsewhere, I’m sick to death of the whole thing!

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 05/05/2019 17:56

Well perhaps that IS the answer. Long term sick until he finds something else or they basically pay him to leave.
But if he hears about a serious accident in 6 months in his dept and he didn't report it, how will he feel?

Purpleartichoke · 05/05/2019 18:02

He really does have to look for a different job. His company has made it clear they aren’t going to change.

NCforthis2019 · 05/05/2019 18:05

Look either blow the whistle or leave.

Mascarponeandwine · 05/05/2019 18:07

Poor bloke, you’re all making it sound like any future accident would be his responsibility for not reporting, when its actually the shoddy employer who is at fault.

I’d go with - find a new job, resign, get reference for new employer, leave, report, in that order.

HermioneWeasley · 05/05/2019 18:09

It’s a crap situation, but as others have said his choices are to whistle blow or not and look for another job or not.

RaymondReddington · 05/05/2019 18:13

I’d go with - find a new job, resign, get reference for new employer, leave, report, in that order

^ This

If your DH is unwell and work ya a contributing factor, it’s time to take control and make some changes.

The employer didn’t change following a serious accident, what makes you think they’ll change because he submits a truthful report 🤷🏼‍♀️

Time to change!

BigSexyCrimeUnit · 05/05/2019 18:13

Thank you Marscapone I was beginning to thinking I was in a parallel universe here. DH isn't responsible for his department, his manager is and his manager won't listen. He has now gone over his manager's head to a senior manager and they are still trying to get him to return to work in the same conditions.

It's easy to comment when you don't have a seriously ill husband on your hands. Thanks to everyone who wrote more positive things.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 05/05/2019 18:16

If something bad did happen in the future it would be the company's fault, not his. To infer that is like saying if you don't report a rapist any future rapes are down to you.

It sounds like your H has done more than anybody, at the expense of his MH and at risk of losing his job

Is he in a union ? Make contact if he is and if not there is ACAS who can advise and support.

I think your H has to accept that one way or another his future is not with this employer. Is he fearful of breaking away, bearing in mind he has been there for 30 years ?

BoomZahramay · 05/05/2019 18:18

Raymond has it. Sorry he's in this situation.

RaymondReddington · 05/05/2019 18:36

And to add to AF’s post, if something did happen, despite your DH’s attempts to change things, he would still feel awful.

He needs to find a better company to work for.

Is there a H&S manager or committee?

SleepingStandingUp · 05/05/2019 18:45

I'm sorry. As I said, it isn't his fault but simply thst if he's trying to feel better about working there, then not ignoring it which will help the company aim ignorance would make him feel less crap about working for a dodgy employer who doesn't give a shit and that if something did happen, knowing he'd reported the breaches night make him feel less guilty. Not because he would be to blame but because in that situation, with poor MH, I can easily see how he'd feel guilty

I’d go with - find a new job, resign, get reference for new employer, leave, report, in that order seems the easiest mantra if he's able to get back to work.

I wish you both luck but I'll bow out now as I've caused offence

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