Workers protest closure of HSE office

Hundreds of Health and Safety Executive (HSE) staff marched on London streets today to protest the closure of their office and fears workplace deaths and injuries will increase.

Members of Public and Commercial Services (PCS) and Prospect unions fear more people will die and be hurt on worksites under a decision to move their London office to Bootle in Liverpool.

PCS campaigns officer James Davies said 320 staff in policy, legal, communication and support sectors were earmarked for the move but less than 10 actually wanted to.

Many are now looking for new jobs.

A director of a Bristol-based building firm has warned internet surfers to be on the look-out after he received a death threat via email.

Buildtec Bristol boss Andrew Sawyer recognised the email, which claimed he would be killed by an assassin unless he paid thousands of dollars, as a fake.

But cautioned that other vulnerable or elderly internet users could be alarmed by the message.

Sawyer reported the email to police. It demanded an initial payment of $1,500 to spare his life temporarily, and a further $2,000 to stop the assassination, according to the Bristol Evening Post.