OHS COMMITTEE/OHS REPRESENTATIVE: exists to AUDIT/ADVISE/ASSIST on safety issues. They cannot, and should not, ever be considered as able to IMPLEMENT or ENFORCE safety, since these are management responsibilities (ie the respective area and department managers and supervisors must address safety issues and concerns - including ENFORCEMENT and IMPLEMENTATION - in the best possible manner.)

 

AUDIT: the committee/representative observes and checks:

i) what we say we do is 'BEST PRACTICE' (ie significantly exceeds minimum safety requirements where possible. This would include reviewing each department's Risk Management Plans and Work Method Statements, and checking the SWOTs. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.)

ii) what we SAY we do is matched by what we ACTUALLY do! This is part of what the committee/representative actually does once the plans are put in motion in the workplace, etc.

 

ADVISE: research any safety questions and provide up-to-date Safety information to other work teams as required. This also includes the committee/representatives' own knowledge: the 'pure' health and safety research to ensure safety personnel are up to date with international safety standards and 'discoveries' in the field of H&S. We should operate under a brief that aims for 'BEST PRACTICE'.

 

ASSIST: respond to departmental managers to help them achieve their SAFETY goals.

 

Ideally, the committee/representatives should not be used to supply labour to fulfill another team's goals. When this occurs, it seriously compromises the role of the safety practitioners. For example, if the practitioner was actually responsible for the repair of a damaged electric lead, the potential exists for the hazard to be unreported 'or else I have to fix it...'

 

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