Safety Representative Training

Safety Representative Training 

For health and safety representatives to be able to perform their functions, they need to be equipped with appropriate skills and knowledge, so you must plan for their training.

Training for health and safety representatives appointed by trade unions

If you have health and safety representatives appointed by trade unions, the trade union will arrange to train them.

Trade unions offer online training courses, so health and safety representatives may not always have to leave the workplace, but may simply require access to online training within the workplace and time to complete the course.

Training for elected health and safety representatives

If your workforce has elected health and safety representatives, you must ensure they are provided with time off with pay to have training for their role.

Identify training needs

It is helpful for all new health and safety representatives to have training that will cover:

• the role of the representative, including how to communicate in committee meetings, with colleagues for views, with employers to raise issues, and with health and safety inspectors;
• health and safety legislation;
• how to identify and minimise hazards and dangerous occurrences;
• health and safety issues of new technology; and
• how to carry out a workplace inspection and accident investigation (not required but recommended for non-union elected representatives)