Health and Safety Representatives

The Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011 has been developed to provide a real focus on consultation between the employer and workers on health and safety issues.

The Act creates a right for workers to be represented on health and safety matters and recognises the important role Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) play in the consultative process. HSRs can make a real difference in having safety issues addressed and can help the employer achieve improved health and safety outcomes.

Role of the HSR

The role of a HSR is to represent the workers who elected them on health and safety matters to their employer or in interviews with Workplace Safety Inspectors.

Approved training is available for HSRs to assist and support them in performing this representative role.

A HSR still performs the job they are employed to do but in addition to this they undertake the representative role on behalf of their workmates.

It is not the HSR’s role to be responsible for health and safety at the workplace. The primary responsibility for providing and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace rests with the employer.

HSRs elected under the old Act

Elected HSRs under the old laws will be considered a HSR under the new law. HSRs will only be able to exercise their powers if they completed the HSR training under the old laws.

Trained HSRs elected under the old laws are required to complete refresher training within 12 months of the commencement of the new laws. HSRs that have not completed approved training will not be able to exercise any of the powers of a HSR until approved training is completed.

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Role of the HSR

HSRs elected under the old Act

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