Workplace Report September 2010

Health & safety - HSE Monitor

New online stress exercises for safety reps

Safety reps have a key role to play in preventing work-related stress according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

It says that the active participation of union and employee representatives is a critical component in delivering improvements in employee health and well-being at work. It also highlights their role in communications between employers and employees, which it says can be particularly important in ensuring the involvement of hard-to-reach groups.

To help reps to understand their role in tackling stress at work using a Management Standards approach, it has added new online exercises to its website. These take reps through the signs and symptoms of stress and ask what they can do to help reduce and prevent stress.

These are available on the HSE website at: www.hse.gov.uk/stress/roles/tradeunions.htm#exercises