CORONAVIRUS cases could “rebound” if workplaces are not Covid-secure, union leaders warned today.

The TUC said the vaccine rollout and testing in workplaces should not be used as an excuse for relaxing safety rules affecting workers, urging employers to update their risk assessments.

The union organisation highlighted the importance of ventilation in workplaces, and said that any activity which can be conducted outside should be allowed.

A TUC survey of more than 2,000 union safety representatives published this week showed that one in four were unaware of a risk assessment taking place in their workplace in the last two years.

Officials added that companies should try to persuade staff to get the vaccine, but not make it a condition of employment.

The government should be tougher with companies flouting health and safety rules, the TUC said, with general secretary Frances O’Grady calling on ministers to “send out a strong message to employers — act now on workplace safety.”

She said: “The government has imposed big fines on individuals who break lockdown rules, but not a single employer has been prosecuted and fined for putting workers or the public at risk. It’s time for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to crack down on bad bosses.

“Over a year into the pandemic, it beggars belief that ministers have not fixed sick pay. Sick pay is too little to live on. No wonder too many are not self-isolating when they need to.”

A spokesman for the HSE said that the government had provided additional funding of £14 million to strengthen its capacity to tackle Covid-19.