Roles , Responsibilities and Function of Safety Representatives

There are safety representatives who are elected by the workforce.

The role of the safety representative is independent of management.

• They take up general matters affecting the health, safety and welfare of the employees ;
• They take up concerns with organization about potential hazards and dangerous events in the workplace that may affect the employees ;
• They attend training courses;
• They represent employees when consulted by H&S inspectors ;
• They can have contact with H&S inspectors from HSE or the local authority.
• They represent the interests & concerns of their co-workers and respond on their behalf.
• They provide valuable insight, skills and resources that help organization and their co-workers.
• representing members fairly and effectively in relation to matters arising within the undertaking or establishment in which they work and which concern employment and conditions of employment.
• participating in negotiation and grievance procedures as provided for in employer/trade union agreements or in accordance with recognised custom and practice in the undertaking or establishment in which they work.
• co-operating with the management of the undertaking or establishment in ensuring the proper implementation and observance of employer/trade union agreements, the use of agreed dispute and grievance procedures and the avoidance of any action, especially unofficial action, which would be contrary to such agreements or procedures and which would affect the continuity of operations or services.
• acting in accordance with existing laws and regulations, the rules of the union and good industrial relations practice; liaising with and seeking advice and assistance from the appropriate full-time trade union official
• having regard at all times to the safe and efficient operation of the undertaking or establishment
• subject to any other arrangements made between an employer and a trade union, employee representatives should conform to the same job performance standards, company rules, disciplinary conditions and other conditions of employment as comparable employees in the undertaking or establishment in which they work.

Ref : Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 –HSG263

Right of Safety Representative:

• Protection of representatives from victimization or discrimination as a result of their representative role,
• Paid time off to be allowed to carry out the function of safety representative
• Paid time off to be trained in order to function as a safety representative
• The right to receive adequate information from the employer on current and future hazards to the H&S of workers at the workplace
• The right to inspect the workplace
• The right to investigate complaints from workers on H&S matters
• The right to make representations to the employer on H&S matters
• The right to be consulted over H&S arrangements, including future plans
• The right to be consulted about the use of specialists in H&S by the employer
• The right to accompany H&S authority inspectors when they inspect the workplace and to make complaints to them when necessary

Ref: ILO C155 and www.hse.gov.uk

Number of Safety representatives:

Learning outcome: How many safety representatives should be selected ?

When deciding how many representatives should be elected from a constituency, it may be useful to take into account:

• (i) the total numbers of employees to be represented;
• (ii) the variety of different groupings (eg by occupation, location, type of work or shift patterns) into which the employees might be divided;
• (iii) the nature of the work activities employees undertake and the degree and character of the health and safety risks to which some or all of them may be exposed.

The Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989 set out the requirements for offshore installations. These include that there must be at least two constituencies for every installation; limits are set for the size of constituencies (no fewer than three, no more than 40); and elections must be held at least every two years. But this model may not meet the health and safety needs of any other situation.

Election of Safety Representatives (Employee Representatives) :

Learning outcome : How to elect the Safety Representative ?

• Employee representatives should be elected/designated in accordance with the appropriate trade union rules and procedures and, where relevant, in accordance with employer/trade union agreements.
• These procedures and agreements should ensure that such representatives will be representative of the trade union members concerned.
• Such representatives should normally have a minimum of one year’s service in the undertaking or establishment concerned; their appointment as employee representatives should be confirmed in writing by the union to the employer and the union should provide relevant information, advice and training to employee representatives on their principal functions and duties. Nothing in this Code precludes an employer from providing additional training.
• The number of employee representatives should be reasonable having regard to the size of the undertaking or establishment concerned, the number of trade union members employed and the structure of trade union organisation within the undertaking or establishment.
• Following notification of the appointment of an employee representative, the employer should provide the representative with relevant information about the normal procedures for communicating with the appropriate representatives of management.