Activists
Shaping the future - Chapter 4(vi)
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Health and safety is often overlooked in the field of journalism, and the arena of digital convergence throws up a number of areas of concern. There are two main issues: the use of cameras and other equipment by lone reporters shooting video for websites, and an increase in stress and the risk of“burn-out”, RSI and eyestrain among journalists undertaking more online work.
But fewer than a quarter of survey respondents said that online training in their workplaces included health and safety. Awareness is much higher in broadcasting, where reporters shooting video has been a feature for ten years in some places, and the practices agreed in TV should become the standard for journalists involved in video or audio reporting for other websites.
The single biggest concern is the use of video cameras by reporters. Risk assessments should be carried out before all assignments, covering manual handling, the safety of equipment and so on, and this is the practice in broadcasting. Evidence collected suggests that some groups such as Johnston and Newsquest do recognise the importance of risk assessments, but the reality is that in practice they do not happen.
“Apparently, all video jobs should be risk assessed, and we have been told that this is SUPPOSED to happen. But it doesn’t always.” Newsquest employee
“I cannot remember any health and safety aspects in the training I received. As far as I am aware risk assessments are not carried out for reporters going out on jobs with video cameras.” Johnston Press FoC
Some editors in the Northcliffe group have been circulating emails asking reporters to take cameras with them when covering incidents such as house fires, with no mention of health and safety considerations.
“There is nothing to stop us using the video camera if we have the basic skills. One example could be if you are on late duty and there is a large fire or other major incident.” Email from web editor at South Wales Evening Post to all reporters
At the BBC, the Personal Digital Production (PDP) guidelines on health and safety are a benchmark for good practice – though it is important for NUJ reps to continue to check that they are being adhered to.
In the BBC there is an agreement that“editors/managers will allocate staff to duties in a reasonable manner, having regard to suitability, qualifications and appropriate skills. Movements between different roles would not be arbitrary and would take individual’s preference into account. But staff would be expected to perform roles for which they were qualified, suitable and had received adequate training.”
It is imperative that editors deploying staff to shoot video should have health and safety training to make sure they are aware of possible dangers and are able to assess the risks before journalists are deployed. Methods of travel to and from locations should be agreed, the carrying equipment over long distances, such as to the top floor of a high-rise buildings with no lift. Insurance must be covered, both for staff and their transport.
The second area of concern is the stress resulting from greatly increased workloads. Almost all the evidence collected points towards members taking on extra work within the scope of their existing roles as well as in new ones. During the writing of this report, a news editor working for a Newsquest title has gone off on long-term sick leave as a result of a huge increase in work because of the “web first”strategy being adopted. The member in question is now seeking retirement on the grounds of ill health.
“I cannot physically carry out the tasks they are asking me to perform, let alone mentally. You would need to be an octopus to be able to do everything they want doing.”
“I cannot physically carry out the tasks they are asking me to perform, let alone mentally. You would need to be an octopus to be able to do everything they want doing.”
The NUJ chapel at the Oxford Mail is monitoring workloads as the move to online publishing gathers pace. The results are likely to show that online working creates extra work and allow the NUJ to challenge the workloads on health and safety grounds. The NUJ chapel at the South Wales Evening Post in Swansea is also planning to begin this process of monitoring.
Recommendations
- Chapels should elect health and safety reps and ensure health and safety training for all involved in video and audio reporting.
- The NUJ should run extra courses for health and safety reps and/or M/FoCs to get up to speed on health and safety regulations around risk assessments and stress.
- Chapels should monitor the workloads of all staff in integrated workplaces
- All agreements should include the employees’ right to pull out of any situation in which they feel that their health and safety, and that of anyone with them, is under threat in any way, without the fear of any action against them.
