The massive cuts being carried out by the government may make workplaces more dangerous, creating longer working hours and reducing training and equipment, experts on safety have warned.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health said the risk of injury and ill health will rise, as staff numbers are slashed and departments are merged.
The organisation urged ministers to prioritise the well being of public sector workers as they make their cuts.
Chief Executive Rob Strange said: “What worries us is that hard-pressed managers looking to meet targets on savings will cut corners when safeguarding the health and safety of their staff.
“The dangers posed by cost-cutting to people involved in delivering or using public services are hidden behind all the talk of how fast and by how much our country’s budget deficit is reduced.
“We want the government to think about the implications of impending cutbacks on the safety, health and wellbeing, not only of the people it employs but of the people who use its services.”
Copyright © Press Association 2010
