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Role of a Health & Safety Representative/Deputy Health & Safety Representative

What is a DWG and What is the Role of a Health and Safety Representative/Deputy Health & Safety Representative

A health & safety representative or deputy health & safety representative is an employee representative who has been elected for a term of 3 years by the staff in a Designated Work Group (DWG) to represent their health and safety interests using the procedures outlined in the Monash University Procedures for health and safety issue resolution (http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/ohs/documents ). 

Employees with day to day experience of a particular work process are a valuable source of information and can advise on situations with the potential to cause injury or illness. These employees can also offer ideas on how the hazards can be best addressed.

Health & safety representatives and their deputies have a range of statutory rights under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 that include the right to:

•  be consulted, so far as is reasonably practicable, on:

  • any proposed changes in the workplace or to the materials, equipment or procedures used that may affect the health and safety of staff;
  • risk assessment of new and existing materials, equipment or procedures that may affect the health and safety of staff;
  • the development of occupational health and safety policies and procedures;
  • Occupational health and safety hazard and incident investigation;
  • the provision of occupational health and safety information, instruction and training.

• direct work to cease where there is an immediate threat to the health and safety of any person;
• inspect any part of the workplace at which a member of the area that they represent works, at any time giving reasonable notice to the relevant head of academic/administrative unit or controlled entity and immediately in the event of an incident or hazardous situation;
• attend workplace inspections and audits, including those carried out by WorkSafe Victoria;
• be given access to any information, except that which is medically confidential, on:

  • the health and safety of the staff in the area they represent; and
  • the actual or potential hazards in the workplace;

• paid leave to attend health and safety training courses;
• have access to the facilities and assistance to enable them to perform their role.

Election to the position of health and safety representative/deputy health and safety representative is open to all members of staff and the schedule of designated work groups and the names of the elected health and safety representatives and their deputies are to be displayed prominently on notice boards by the University.

Staff wishing to nominate for the position of health and safety representative/deputy health and safety representative, should obtain a copy of the nomination form  http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/ohs/assets/forms/representative-nomination.doc  The form should then be completed and forwarded to the Returning Officer, Occupational Health and Safety, Clayton.

If more than one nomination is received for any DWG, the University will determine an electoral roll and print ballot papers. Nominees will then be invited to provide a statement in support of their nomination and the University will manage a distribution of ballot papers for an election.

All successful nominees will be provided with the necessary training in order to undertake the role of health and safety representative/deputy health and safety representative effectively.