What does a union safety rep do?

A safety rep is a fellow worker elected by other union members to look after the health and safety at work of people they work with. Much of what they do benefits everyone in their section, both union and non-union workers.

What are the duties of a safety representative?

All appointed Health and Safety Representatives empowered to:

• Conduct health and safety audits.
• Identify potential hazards, risks and dangers.
• Investigate incidents.
• Make recommendations regarding health and safety.
• Conduct inspections.
• Attend health and safety committee meetings.

What are the roles and responsibilities of a health and safety representative?

Health and Safety Representatives duties must be carried out effectively by health and safety representative. These duties are meant to help them improve, maintain and safe guarding the health and safety of all users of a premise. These special health and safety representative duties are assigned to them by the law.

What are 4 key functions of a health and safety representative?

In order to exercise their powers and functions, health and safety representatives can inspect the work area, make a request to the regulator to attend the workplace, accompany and inspector, represent the work group members and request the establishment of a work health and safety committee.

How many safety reps do we need?

But how many representatives should actually be appointed for the workplace? According to section 17 of the OHS Act, shops and offices must have at least 1 representative for every 100 workers or part thereof. All other workplaces must have at least 1 representative for every 50 workers or part thereof.

What rights does a health and safety representative have?

Rights of a rep. Represent workers, in their Designated Work Group, on health and safety matters. Attendance at approved HSR training. making decisions about procedures for resolving OHS issues; consulting with employees; monitoring health or workplace conditions; providing information and training.

What is safety officer salary?

The average safety officer salary in the USA is $39,027 per year or $20.01 per hour. Entry level positions start at $29,094 per year while most experienced workers make up to $73,852 per year.

How do I become a good safety representative?

A safety representative often develops or coordinates employee training, so good communication skills are necessary. Experience working with contractors and the numerous local, state, and federal government agencies involved with occupational safety is also helpful in this career.

How do I choose a health and safety representative?

Conducting elections You need to make sure: each worker in the work group is informed of the election date as soon as possible. all workers in the work group are given an opportunity to nominate for the position of HSR, and vote in the election.

What are the steps of safety representative?

Five simple steps to elect a Health and Safety Representative

• STEP 1: Request for a HSR.
• STEP 2: The Department must commence negotiations for work groups within 14 days.
• STEP 3: Workers must be notified.
• STEP 4: Election of HSRs.
• STEP 5: Work group notified of election outcome.

Who do health and safety representatives speak for?

A HSR can speak up for workers’ safety, monitor risks and investigate concerns. The core role of a HSR is to: represent members of their work group concerning health and safety. monitor health and safety compliance by employer(s)

Who appoints a she rep?

According to Section 17 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993), employers who employ 20 or more workers on premises must appoint representatives to monitor health and safety conditions.

What is the role of a trade union safety Rep?

Trade union safety representatives must always be clearly distinguished from “safety co-ordinators” or “safety officers” appointed by employers or managers to help them carry out their health and safety responsibilities. Trade union safety representatives are not accountable to employers or managers, only to trade union members.

Is the union representative the same as the health and safety representative?

In most unions the union representative and the health and safety representative are two separate positions. In other unions, once you become a union representative you are automatically the safety representative.

What is the role of the safety representative?

The Role of the Safety Representative. Union safety representatives have wide-ranging rights and functions. These include rights to: a) Make representations on behalf of their members to their employer on any health and safety matter.

What is the role of a FSU safety representative?

As well as organising appropriate training, FSU fully supports Safety Representatives by providing advice and by pursuing health and safety matters – both in specific cases and in more generic issues. The Union has also devised a user-friendly checklist to assist Safety Representatives in carrying out a safety inspection.