Everyone has the right to a safe workplace. No-one should be injured or made ill because of their work and employers and government should aim to ensure that work is a positive experience that keeps us healthy.
UNISON health and safety representatives make a huge difference. Research has shown that workplaces with union recognition and health and safety representatives experience around half the number of serious injuries of those without.
These are difficult and challenging times particularly for those of our members who are the on front line of fighting this infection. The work our safety reps do has never been more vital, that’s why we want to have at least one safety rep in every workplace.
Health and safety representatives care about workers’ safety and campaign for better working conditions. They play a vital role in keeping our members healthy and safe at work. They:
- investigate potential hazards
- consult members on working conditions
- lobby your employer to improve safety
- support members with complaints about safety
- recruit new members
- identify members who could become more involved in health and safety issues.
Safety representatives have a specific role and functions and responsibilities and also have important legal rights. A health and safety representative has the right to training and to raise issues which affect the health and safety of members.
UNISON aims to have at least one health and safety representative in every workplace where we have members.