The PSA has today written to NSW Trustee and Guardian to commence negotiations on the election of Health and Safety Representatives (HSR).
What is a Health and Safety Representative (HSR)?
An HSR is a worker elected by their colleagues to represent the Work Health and Safety (WHS) interests of that workgroup as per s68 of the Work Health & Safety Act 2011. They work with the employer in instigating, developing and carrying out measures to ensure health & safety at the workplace.
This can involve:
- developing WHS policies and procedures
- reviewing measures taken to address risks
- monitoring WHS performance data such as incident and injury reports
If they have completed the HSR training course, an HSR also has the following powers:
- Cease Unsafe Work: direct workers to cease unsafe work if there is a serious risk of immediate danger.
- Provisional Improvement Notices (PIN): issue management with a PIN when there is a safety problem and consultation with the employer has not remedied the problem.
PSA can provide HSR training. HSRs are entitled to choose their own training provider under s.72(1) of the NSW WHS Act 2011. Successful HSR nominees are encouraged to choose the PSA-run HSR course and paid leave is available to attend.
The PSA encourages the elections of HSRs in workplaces as they are a powerful and effective tool in protecting the WHS interests of workers.
How are HSRs elected?
Once workers or their representative have requested an HSR election, management have 14 days to commence negotiations with workers around specifics of the HSR structure such as workgroup boundaries and the number of HSRs for each workgroup.
HSRs must be democratically elected by workers in an open and transparent election process.
WE NEED YOU!
Do you want to be a Health and Safety Representative?
To find out more about the role of an HSR, please contact your PSA Organiser:
What can you do?
- Encourage your colleagues to join the PSA online at: https://membership.psa.asn.au/register
- Give a copy of this bulletin to your colleagues
- Print this bulletin and put it up on your notice board
- Get involved as a PSA Delegate or Contact: get in touch with your Organiser on the details above
- Update your workplace details at https://psa.asn.au/update-your-details/