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HM Fire Inspectorate Publishes Equal Opportunities Thematic Inspection Report 1998
23/12/1998
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF HM INSPECTORATE OF FIRE SERVICES IN SCOTLAND
Female employees have praised Scottish fire brigades for an absence of harassment and the good working relationships they enjoy with male colleagues.
Opinions about the facilities available to female and disabled workers were broadly positive. New fire stations were praised by all - but older stations were thought to be in need of improved female changing and toilet facilities.
No brigade has been more successful than any other in the recruiting of women, people from ethnic backgrounds or the disabled. All brigades concede recruitment from these groups has been difficult in spite of active campaigning.
These are some of the main findings from the Equal Opportunities Thematic Report, published today by HM Inspectorate of Fire Services.
Commenting on the report, HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services Neil Morrison said:
"When we embarked on this inspection, we were looking for a clear indication that brigades were committed to equality of opportunity.
"The benchmark for establishing whether equal opportunity had been achieved would be that the most effective and fairest possible use was being made of the available human resources and that the fire service was more representative of the community it serves.
"In particular, we would expect brigades to:
· Take positive action to examine and eliminate all potential and any existing barriers to equality of opportunity;
· Increase the numbers of women, members of the ethnic minority groups and other under-represented groups, particularly in the operational fire service and also to increase the number of disabled persons employed;
· Ensure that firm action is taken against staff who discriminate on grounds of colour, race nationality, ethnic or national origins, sex, sexual orientation, disability or who commit racial or sexual harassment; and
· Ensure that fire service staff receive appropriate training in equal opportunities."
A thematic inspection on equal opportunities - with a focus on training, recruitment and promotion, harassment and facilities - was undertaken in all fire brigades over a period of two years as part of the normal inspection programme of Scottish fire brigades. The inspection team carried out random interviews with women, disabled persons and people of an ethnic origin - averaging around 10 per brigade.
In addition, a questionnaire-type survey was distributed to all brigade employees within the target groups. The interviews and questionnaires were both optional and confidential, and out of the 729 questionnaires issued, 438 were returned (60.1 per cent). The views and comments of senior officers were also sought
Opinions about the training of both uniformed and non-uniformed staff were higher for the former in which all brigades have ongoing training programmes to ensure that emergency procedures are up-to-date and continuously efficient. Low scores for training were given mostly by long-serving non-uniformed staff.
News Release: 2712/98
23 December, 1998