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Safety reps
Union safety reps can make a very real difference to standards in your workplace. Evidence shows that workplaces with union safety reps and joint union-management safety committees have major injury rates less than half of those without.
Safety reps can secure direct benefits in workers' health, safety and welfare
for you and your colleagues using legal rights provided by health and safety legislation.
What does a safety rep do?
Safety reps can carry out many of the same functions of a shop steward or workplace rep but focus specifically (surprise, surprise) on workplace health and safety issues. They usually cover a defined area or group of workers in the workplace where they themselves work.
The issues they deal with can be very wide ranging from the general workplace environment (uncomfortable working temperatures, lack of breaks) to more specific health and safety hazards (such as manual handling, stress and RSI).
Safety reps have specific rights enshrined in law which enable them to
Employers are required to consult safety reps, especially about:
Employers are legally required to provide safety reps with the resources to carry out their role. This might include:
Other facilities should include copies of relevant statutes, Regulations, Approved Codes of Practice and HSE guidance, copies of safety journals, and legal and international standards that are relevant to the workplace.
Training
Union safety reps have the legal right to paid time off for training relevant to their role.
The TUC and individual unions provide a range of courses for safety reps designed to
For more information about TUC education courses to support safety reps, please click here.
More information
If you would like to find out more about becoming a safety rep, then please click here.
If you like to sign up to Risks, the TUCs on-line resource for union safety reps, then please click here.
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