New to the role of Safety Representative? A complete guide to your role, responsibilities, and rights

Congratulations on one of the most important positions of trust in the workplace! Being elected as a safety representative shows that your colleagues trust you to be their voice on workplace safety issues.

It’s an exciting and rewarding role, but it can also feel overwhelming at first. The Occupational Safety and Health Act, regulations, risk assessments… where do you even start?

This guide provides you with a simple and clear introduction to your new role, your responsibilities, and—last but not least—your important rights.

What is your main role?

Think of yourself as your coworkers’ “eyes and ears” when it comes to the work environment. Your primary responsibility is to represent the employees and ensure that the employer fulfills its obligations under the Work Environment Act.

You play a key role in our systematic efforts to ensure a safe work environment. This means that you will:

• Help plan new and modified facilities, work processes, and methods.
• Participate in safety inspections and risk assessments.
• Convey your colleagues' views and concerns regarding the work environment to the employer.

Your role is to work with the employer to ensure a safe and healthy workplace for everyone.

Your Responsibilities—and What Is NOT Your Responsibility

This is one of the most important points to understand:You have no personal legal liability for the workplace environment.

The employer always bears ultimate responsibility for preventing illness and accidents. You can never be held personally liable if an accident were to occur.

Your responsibilities as a safety representative are to:

• Actively monitor and participate in workplace safety efforts.
• Point out shortcomings and risks to the employer.
• Demand that action be taken.

You are a driving force and a reviewer—not the one who will carry out the actions.

Your Most Important Rights

To enable you to carry out your duties, the Occupational Safety and Health Act grants you several strong rights.

• Right to Training:Your employer is required to provide you with the workplace safety training you need for your job. The training must take place during paid working hours and be paid for by your employer.
• Right to Information:You have the right to access all documents related to the work environment, such as risk assessments, action plans, and reports on work-related injuries.
• Right to Participate:You must be invited to and allowed to participate in all planning that is important to the work environment, such as renovations or new work methods.
• The Right to Stop Work (Safety Representative Stop):If a task poses an immediate and serious danger to an employee’s life or health, and the supervisor does not take immediate action, you have the right to stop work. This is your most powerful tool and is used in emergency situations.

How to Get Started—The First and Most Important Step

Knowledge is the foundation of everything when it comes to exercising your rights and fulfilling your role with confidence. Without understanding the “language” and the rules of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, it’s hard to do a good job.

That is why your right to training is so important. The first—and best—step for a new safety representative is to take a basic occupational safety and health training course.

Our course in Better Work Environment (BAM) is designed to give you exactly the knowledge and tools you need. You’ll learn the basics of systematic workplace safety and health management, how to collaborate with your manager, and how to confidently and effectively represent your colleagues.