Hundreds of employees are being sacked for speaking out against unsafe working conditions, according to a report published by the TUC.

It says that says that since 1999 some 1,500 workers have lost their jobs for raising safety concerns with bosses.

And the TUC claims that the law is failing those affected.

Under the 1996 Employment Rights Act workers have a right to refuse to do dangerous work, but because employers found guilty of unfair dismissal on safety grounds may only have to pay out around £3,800, it is often cheaper to sack the worker than make improvements.
 
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "It shouldn't be a firing offence to object to unsafe work.

"Workers should not be placed in the situation where they are forced to choose between risking their job or risking their personal health and safety.

"We need a legal system that protects safety whistleblowers, not rewards them with their cards.

Safety action

The TUC is calling for the government to take action in attempting to reduce the number of workplace accidents and fatalities.

It wants to see a system of safety reps to allow unions to bring safer working to workplaces where there is no union presence.

More regular workplace inspections from the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities were another suggestion in the report.

The calls came as new figures were published on deaths in the workplace.

In a two year period, 620 British people have been killed at work, found research by the Transport and General Workers Union and the Centre for Corporate Accountability.

The study revealed that few employers have been convicted for health and safety offences and none have faced a jail sentence or disqualification following a conviction.

Labour MP Stephen Hepburn said: "It makes no sense that those who have the greatest power to improve safety practice within a company, the directors, have absolutely no legal obligation to do so."