Health and safety representatives (HSRs) and health and safety committees (HSCs), provide the means to give workers a voice in health and safety matters at the workplace, and involve workers through participation and consultation.

The role of a HSR is generally limited to their own work group unless:

• there is a serious risk to health or safety (created by an immediate hazard) affecting workers from another work group
• a worker in another work group asks for the HSR’s assistance, and the HSR for that other work group is found to be unavailable.

An elected Health & Safety Representative is entitled to perform the following tasks for the work group:

• undertake workplace inspections
• review the circumstances of workplace incidents
• accompany a WHSQ inspector during an inspection
• represent the work group in health and safety matters
• attend an interview about health and safety matters with a worker from the work group (with the consent of the worker)
• request that a health and safety committee be established
• participate in a health and safety committee
• monitor compliance measures
• investigate work health and safety complaints from work group members
• inquire into any risk to the health and safety of workers in the work group
• issue provisional improvement notices and direct a worker to cease unsafe work (where the HSR has completed the approved training).

Having an HSR makes a big difference to health and safety in the workplace.

They have strong legislative rights to represent you, to conduct inspections in the workplace, and to be consulted on health and safety matters.

HSRs provide a meaningful voice for you on health and safety. No workplace should go unrepresented.