HealthandSafetyInspectionsatWorkOrganisingforHealth&SafetyAguideforUNISONsafetyreps2AguidetoworkplaceinspectionsAUNISONguidetoworkplaceinspectionsInspectionsareanimportantwayofidentifyingpotentialworkplacehazardsbeforetheycauseanyharm.TheyarealsoagoodwayofmeetingandgettingtoknowUNISONmembersandpotentialmembersinaworkplace.InspectionscanbeusedtoraisetheprofileofUNISONandtheroleoftheunion’shealthandsafetyrepresentatives(reps).Membersandnon-membersalikevalueUNISON’shealthandsafetyworksoaninspectioncanbeusedasanorganisingandrecruitmentopportunity.Ifanon-memberapproachesahealthandsafetyrepwiththeirconcernsabouthealthandsafety,theyshouldbeaskedtojoinUNISON.Eveniftheydon’tjointheissuetheyhaveraisedmaywellbearisktomemberssotherepmaywanttoraiseitinageneralwaywithmanagement.Ifamemberraisesaconcern,theyshouldbegivenindividualsupportandadviceandtheremaybeanopportunitytoaskthemiftheywouldliketogetmoreinvolvedintheunionbybecomingaUNISONhealthandsafetyrep.Alternatively,theymaybeinterestedinbecomingastewardorjustaninformalcontactifthatmakesthemfeelmorecomfortable.Carryingoutworkplacehealthandsafetyinspectionsisthereforeoneofthehealthandsafetyrepsmostimportantfunctions.However,thisdoesnotmeanithastobedifficultorcomplicatedorthattherepshouldfeelobligedtodomorethantheyarecomfortablewith.Startsmallwithanoccasionalinspectionandbuildthisupovertimeandwithexperience.Ideallythisshouldeventuallyleadtoregularquarterlyinspections.Wherepossiblenewsafetyrepsshouldbeaccompaniedontheirfirstinspectionbyamoreexperiencedsafetyreporperhapstheirbranchhealthandsafetyofficer.TherighttocarryoutinspectionscomesfromtheSafetyRepresentativesandSafetyCommitteesRegulations1977,otherwiseknownas‘TheBrownBook’.Theseregulationsalsomakeitclearthatsafetyrepsareentitledtopaidtimeoffforcarryingoutinspections,aswellasforcarryingouttheirotherfunctions.ChecklistCarryingoutaninspectionwillenabletherepto:•identifypotentialhazardsbeforeanyharmiscaused•raisetheprofileoftheirroleasasafetyrepandofUNISON•meetmembers,talktothemabouttheirconcernsandaskiftheywouldliketogetmoreinvolved,maybebybecomingasafetyrep•meetnon-membersasissuestheyraisearealsolikelytobepotentialhazardstomembersanditisanopportunitytorecruitthemintoUNISON.3TherighttoinspectRegularinspectionsHealthandsafetyrepshavealegalrighttoinspectalltheworkplaceareastheycoveratleastonceeverythreemonths,buttheymustgivetheemployerreasonablenoticeinwritingoftheirintention.Oneweek’snoticeshouldbeenough.Morefrequentinspectionsmaybecarriedoutbyagreementwiththeemployer,especiallyiftherearehigh-riskactivitiesorrapidlychangingcircumstances.Safetyrepsmaymakeanadditionalinspectionif,sincethelastinspection,therehasbeenasubstantialchangeintheconditionsofwork,orifnewinformationonhazardsrelevanttotheworkplacehasbeenpublishedbytheHealthandSafetyExecutive(HSE).Substantialchangestotheconditionsofworkincludetheuseofnewmachinery,newworkingmethods,ornewsubstances.Thisrighttoinspectexistswhetherornotthreemonthshavepassedsincethelastinspection,buttheemployershouldstillbeconsultedfirst.TheHSEbelievesthatitisgoodpracticeforemployersandsafetyrepstoagreeprogrammesofformalinspectionsinadvance.Theadvantageofthisisthatitmakesitclearwheneachcanexpectaninspectionandfulfillstherequirementtogivenotice.Anychangestotheplannedtimetablemustbeagreedbyboththeemployerandthesafetyrep.Thenumberofsafetyrepstakin...
