 Home Health and Safety Health and Safety News
HSC consults on changes to safety rep regs
30 April 2006
New law requiring employers to consult with safety reps on risk assessments and to respond to any issues raised by reps is being examined by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC).
The proposed changes to the law are just one piece of a wide-ranging consultation launched by the HSC, which has the aim of improving worker involvement in health and safety.
Launching the consultation document, chief executive of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Geoffrey Podger, said: "Workers know the most about the jobs they do, so they are often in the best position to develop safe and practical systems of work.
He added: "Effective worker involvement can reduce accidents and ill health. It is fundamental to ensuring the success of all other interventions on health and safety. It is important, therefore, that we actively encourage and support organisations to involve their workers."
The HSC suggests there are three "pillars" to increasing workers' participation in managing health and safety - legislation, guidance and encouragement. The consultation document looks at ideas for strengthening all three pillars.
The proposed changes to safety rep regulations would apply to all representatives of employee safety - both trade union reps and, where they exist, non-union reps. Although the proposals are quite modest and don't go as far as the TUC would want they could help to strengthen the safety reps role.
The consultation will run from 24 April to 8 September 2006. The paper, summary document and feedback form can all be downloaded from the consultation section of the HSE website
Contact Details
Health and Safety section
Ph: 0161 249 2441
Fax: 0161 249 2475
Email: healthandsafety@usdaw.org.uk
 Printer Friendly Page  Email to a Friend
|
