HSRs - Information for employees
The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) recognises that employers have the primary responsibility for providing a safe and healthy workplace, but it also recognises that employees have an important role to play too.
In ensuring your own health and safety, and that of others, it's important to be aware of the role the health and safety representative (HSR) can play in your workplace.
What is a HSR?
A HSR is a person from your own work group (WG) who has been selected/elected by the group to represent you on WHS issues. HSRs have an important role to play in representing members of your WG, including bringing issues to the attention of your employer, attempting to resolve these issues and taking information back to your WG about health and safety.
How is a HSR elected?
Once your WG has been established, you or any other member of your WG can stand for election as the HSR. All employees in the WG are entitled to vote in the election. How elections are run by your employer may be set out in your organisation’s Health and Safety Management Arrangements (HSMAs).
What can your HSR do for you?
HSRs have broad powers under the legislation to promote the health and safety at work of employees in the WG. HSRs can:
- inspect the workplace
- investigate WHS complaints
- issue provisional improvement notices (PINs), and
- initiate emergency stop-work procedures.
More information
Email: ohs.help@comcare.gov.au
Phone: 1300 366 979
Mail: GPO Box 9905, Canberra, ACT, 2601