Health and Safety Representatives

Should an Environmental, Health, and Safety representative review each procedure ... 

Nevertheless as the research reported in the next section shows, trade union health and safety representatives surveyed in the study commissioned by the HSE (Research International 1997) were considerably better informed about OELs than were enqjloyers. The explanation the researchers offered for this finding was that the safety representatives in their survey were mostly drawn from larger enterprises. A further factor would have been the extent of health and safety training received by the representatives - which is considerably greater than that received by the average small enterprise owner manager and which deals specifically with representing workers that use hazardous substances. 

An extension of a maximum of 10 days may be given if the time allowed in the first place is judged as insufficient. There is no appeal against the terms of the notice. Health and safety representatives should be given a copy of Improvement Notices. 

This is especially so in the case of senior health and safety representatives and for many regional health and safety r resentatives. 

Even if an ordinary oil industry worker seldom or never meets PSA representatives during a work year offshore, the contact between PSA s employees and union and health and safety representatives is tight. The Labour Inspection Authority, union representatives, platform chiefs and others active in safety work regularly meet PSA representatives in safety conferences and different arenas of tripartite cooperation onshore. This is very different from the U.S. continental shelf, where regulatory representatives are very visible on installations but seldom or never meet elected representatives of oil industry workers. 

Elements to control behaviors and ensure safe work procedures include critical task procedures, rules and regulations, appointment of health and safety representatives, holding of regular meetings, safety communication, safety promotion campaigns, medical examinations, etc. 

Safety coordinator Occupational hygiene coordinator Health and safety representatives Divisional safety committees Central safety committees Accident investigators Responsible engineers Internal safety auditors Fire coordinator Permit issuers... 

Health and safety representatives are employees appointed to assist and participate in the ongoing safety system in an organization. The more people involved in the safety movement, the better. Appointing health and safety representatives gets this involvement and also increases the safety inspection capacity of the team. The more people inspecting for safe conditions, the safer the work environment will become. 

Health and safety representatives are employees who are appointed, nominated, or volunteer to assist in the promotion of safety to ensure a safer workplace. Health and safety representatives contribute greatly to the health and safety of the woik-place and assist in the identification and elimination of hazards. 

They are also important for liaison between various employees and also between the employees and different levels of management. Health and safety representatives are basically part-time safety advisors. They are an extension of the safety department s capabilities and help them in their job of coordinating the safety system. 

In some instances, worker unions nominate and appoint full-time health and safety representatives as their formal nominated persons to coordinate the activities of the safety system and also to negotiate on their behalf. 

First aid training is always a good investment, and health and safety representatives should be taught the basics of hrst aid and could also be put in charge of the decentralized first aid boxes. 

Health and safety representatives who have received specific accident investigation training could be used to assist in accident and near-miss incident investigations. Since they will be conducting both formal and informal inspections, a training session in auditing techniques will help them to audit safety standards in their own areas. 

Duties and Functions of Health and Safety Representatives Health and safety representatives are a vital component of a structure safety management system. Since they operate on the shop floor, they have the opportunity to identify and eliminate risks before any loss occurs. Their duties and functions could include ... 

The safety of the workplace is improved by having health and safety representatives carry out regular safety and health inspections. 

Near-miss incidents and damage accidents are identified and reported to health and safety representatives. 

Work with health and safety representatives, managers, superintendents, supervisors, and employees to ensure proactive safety goals are met. Ensure the completion of monthly risk assessments (all types) in his/her area of responsibility, and follow up on corrective action. 

The health and safety representatives report to their managers on a monthly basis highlighting physical and behavior risks noted in their area of control. They also report to management on near-miss incidents or accidents that need attention and investigation. Minutes of the safety subcommittees are forwarded to the manager for action to be taken on items when necessary. 

The proactive activities required by the safety system change the way safety is traditionally viewed and managed. Once employees see that effort is directed into proactive activities, and that the sole focus of safety is not them and the injury rate, they feel confident to become a part of the process. Getting employees on board is a major change in safety culture, and normally one of the biggest hurdles to overcome. When employees see that the executive has signed a safety policy, meets monthly to direct the safety of the workplace, appoints employees as health and safety representatives, does plant inspections, and has safety as part of its personal key performance areas, then they know that safety is part and parcel of the organization, and that is an indication of a positive safety culture. 

Safety inspections by manbers of the workforce appointed as health and safety representatives are reviewed and signed off on by managers, stating that they have been notified of the deviations from safety standards and have rectified them. Once these controls operate in a neat, clean, and orderly work environment, a positive climate of safety will exist that will become the safety personality of the organization. This ongoing process involves anployees and managers and constantly identifies and eliminates possible accident causes via means of involvement, participation, and safety leadership. 

If two or more union-appointed health and safety representatives request, in writing, that the employer set up a health and safety committee, then it must be done within 3 months of the request. 

Although there is no such requirement if the employer consults health and safety representatives elected by the workforce, it is good practice to do so. 

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