Firstly, forgive the pun. Secondly, thank you to the significant number of shop stewards who attended our shop stewards meeting last week.
It is always inspiring to see such passionate and knowledgeable discussion on issues of importance taking place from your work place representatives. A few important updates to members arising from that meeting.
Personal protective equipment:
As members will expect the ongoing personal protective equipment issues were a significant part of the discussion with shop stewards.
Through the current proceedings at the SAET we have sought the production to us of a number of documents from SAMFS intended to assist us in better understanding the full scale of the problems presenting us with PPE.
As members may be aware from recent safety alerts, problems relating to the zips on ‘Sabre’ PPE sets have been identified. It appears that the zips are capable of coming apart once zipped. This appears to be potentially a very serious risk to all Firefighters wearing this type of gear.
Although the information relating to the issue is far from clear at this time, it does appear that the risk can be somewhat reduced if care is taken to ensure that the zip is properly fastened and the bottom lock engaged. Unfortunately we do not consider this a complete solution.
The UFUSA remains very concerned about the safety of all Sabre gear and its continued use in operations until (and not limited to) zips are properly inspected, and if necessary replaced. I have written to the Chief Officer seeking urgent answers about SAMFS’s position the safety of ongoing use of the equipment, and whether expert testing has been conducted.
If we cannot get suitable responses from the SAMFS we will consider all options to guarantee your safety in consultation with HSRs and shop stewards.
I think it is important that we emphasize the potential risks of unsuitable PPE, or continuing to wear PPE if you believe that there are difficulties or faults in it. If you have concerns, immediately report it. If you have a HSR or shop steward on your station, please seek their assistance.
We ask all members to take this issue seriously. Your service to the community is critically important, is to be applauded, but it is also critically important that you are safe and that you return from work every day unharmed. The cost of staying silent on safety issues is too high. Please do not.
Finally, we remind of their rights under s 85(3) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 which says:
A worker may cease, or refuse to carry out, work if the worker has a reasonable concern that to carry out the work would expose the worker to a serious risk to the worker’s health or safety, emanating from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard.
provided that the worker notifies the PBCU, and remains available for other work in the meantime. You cannot be forced to work in unsafe PPE. HSRs, shop stewards, and your union officials are here for you if you are worried about your PPE or a safety issue. Speak out.
We will continue to issue updates on this highly important matter in the meantime. Nothing could be more important to our union.
Structural Firefighting Training:
One specific aspect of the PPE dispute that was discussed at our shop stewards meeting was the ongoing use of PBI gold equipment in structural firefighting training.
This has been an issue that we had raised with SAMFS whilst raising the issues with PBI Gold in operations. We did not receive appropriate responses.
As a result of shop stewards raising clear examples of members concerns, I have taken the additional step of writing to the Chief Officer insisting that PBI Gold is removed from Structural Firefighting training. I understand that complying with this request is likely to have the effect that training is suspended whilst solutions are found.
It remains the union’s position that it is important that you have access to the best training. That training must be safe.
Over the course of recent months we have also written to the Chief requesting various information relating to the safety of the structural firefighting program, including in relation to relevant risk assessments, and seeking more detailed information on the engineered solutions to chemical exposures. Those are all issues that will need to be resolved going forward.
The ongoing training review may present one opportunity to consider and address necessary improvements.
Leave and pay issues:
Shop Stewards also spoke loud and clear about member frustration with the ongoing difficulties at SAMFS, including the failure of SAMFS to respond to leave enquiries or have accurate information available to members.
Following the meeting, on request from shop stewards I have communicated to the Chief Officer that if these issues are not resolved promptly members are prepared to engage in an industrial dispute and would consider campaign action in pursuit of that dispute.
I have been made aware by the Chief Officer that SAMFS has temporarily taken on 4 additional FTE in an attempt to address these issues. We will continue to engage constructively with the Chief Officer in the meantime, and monitor any progress in this area. We also agree strongly with the sentiment of our members that enough is enough. Being paid correctly and being able to access up to date and accurate information on leave entitlements, and have timely responses to requests, are the bare minimum in employment. They are not luxuries.
In Solidarity,
