Safety & Health Representatives and Committees
Safety and health representatives
Safety and health representatives are an important link between employees and employers, telling employers about safety and health concerns and cooperating with employers to implement and maintain workplace safety.
Safety and health representatives are people elected by co-workers to act on their behalf in resolving safety and health issues in the workplace and maintaining safe conditions.
Employees at every workplace are allowed by law to elect their own safety and health representative
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Having a safety and health representative at your workplace makes it easier to bring safety and health problems to the attention of management, so they can be dealt with and resolved. |
When an employee requests the election of safety and health representatives, the employer and employees must work together to conduct an election at the workplace. An employer may also call for the election of a safety and health representative without waiting for a request from an employee.
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Young employees should be introduced to their safety and health representative as part of their safety and health training when they first start their job. |
As a new worker you can ask the safety and health representative to help you recognise and avoid safety and health hazards and risks in areas where you will be working.
Many organisations also have safety and health officers who are not elected by employees. These officers are appointed by employers to make sure safety and health induction, information, training and supervision is provided for employees.
Regular inspections of the workplace by safety and health representatives are usually arranged with the employer in advance, but when there is an accident an inspection and investigation can begin.
Safety and Health Committees
Any employee may request a safety and health committee. Once an employee has asked for a committee, the employer is required by law to take steps to appoint one. Employers, on their own initiative, may establish a safety and health committee.
Committees are useful, allowing employers and employees to work together to make the job safe.
In some larger workplaces, several safety and health representatives may be elected. There may also be more than one committee. Major employers may have safety and health representatives and committees at various workplaces around the State.
