Consultation with Employees
Last updated:Employees have a legal right to be consulted on health and safety matters.
Employee representatives can play an invaluable role in involving staff in health and safety matters.
The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 give recognised trade unions the right to appoint safety representatives to represent the employees in consultation with their employer about health and safety matters.
Employers have a duty to consult the safety representatives, in suitable time, on a range of matters including the introduction of any measure that may affect the health and safety of the employees represented.
The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 place similar duties on employers to consult employees who are not represented by trade union safety representatives. The consultation should be with either the employees directly or their elected 'representative of employee safety'.
Under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 trade union safety representatives may investigate accidents and potential hazards, pursue complaints, and carry out school inspections. They are also entitled to certain information, for example about accidents, and to paid time off to train for and carry out their health and safety functions.