Slips, trips and falls

Conference notes the pay offer made by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service which Members in Scotland firmly rejected through a consultative ballot in February 2020.

Conference also notes that the offer included “developing interventions to co-respond to slips, trips and falls to assist other recognised agencies.”

Conference applauds the strength and unity of Members in Scotland in rejecting this proposal and congratulates the hard work of Fire Brigades Union Officials at all levels of the Union, ensuring that Members were fully briefed on the risks associated with this type of work.

Social care work and patient aftercare are distinct, separate and highly skilled professions, therefore Conference agrees that decisions to expand the role of a firefighter into Members providing either a primary or a co-response to a slip, trip or a fall and any form of domiciliary care, should be decided by Conference.

Conference notes the current position regarding negotiations with our employers on the expansion of the role of a firefighter and that no elements of work have yet to be excluded by Conference.

Conference therefore instructs the Executive Council to immediately end negotiations on any work that may require our Members to provide either a primary, or a co-response to a slip, trip or fall and any form of domiciliary care.

Conference agrees that such a fire and rescue service response to slips, trips and falls, and domiciliary care are considered inappropriate for the role of a firefighter, and also fails to provide an adequate response to the public.