Unions vow to fight on for improved safety rep rights

Unions have expressed "anger and bewilderment" at a decision by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) not to introduce new rights for union safety reps, despite widespread support for them.

Last year, the HSC held a consultation on extending the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, focusing on whether employers should be obliged to consult safety reps on risk assessments and respond to representations made by reps.

More than 90% of the consultation's respondents agreed that these two duties should be introduced. Even among employers and their organisations, almost 50% agreed with the duty to consult and 72% supported the duty to respond.

However, in March the HSC proposed new guidance instead of new regulations. Its decision was deferred so that unions could discuss the matter with employers' bodies, but last month it confirmed that it would stick with its proposals.

Pledging that "this issue will not go away", a TUC spokesperson said: "We know that improved rights for safety reps not only make sense but are desperately needed. The consequence of this decision is more injuries and illnesses."

The TUC is now collecting examples from affiliated unions where a failure to consult safety reps on risk assessments has had health and safety consequences.