Safety Representative

Safety Representative

The role of the safety representative is laid down by mining act in W.A and states:

53. Functions of safety and health representatives

(1) The functions of a safety and health representative are, in the interests of safety and health at the mine for which the representative was elected —

(a) to inspect the mine, or any part of the mine —

(i) at such times as are agreed with the manager of the mine; or

(ii) where the representative has not inspected the mine, or that part of the mine, in the preceding 30 days, at any time upon giving reasonable notice to the manager;

(b) in the event of an accident, a dangerous occurrence, or a risk of imminent and serious injury to, or imminent and serious harm to the health of, any person, immediately to carry out an appropriate investigation in respect of the matter; and

(c) to keep informed as to the safety and health information provided by the manager of the mine or an employer in accordance with this Act and liaise as necessary with the department and other public sector and private bodies; and

(d) immediately to report to the employer concerned and to the manager of the mine any hazard or potential hazard to which any person is, or might be, exposed at the mine that comes to the representative’s notice; and

(e) where there is a safety and health committee for the mine, to refer to that committee any matters that the representative thinks the safety and health committee should consider; and

(f) to consult and cooperate with the manager of the mine and employers on all matters relating to the safety or health of persons at the mine; and

(g) to liaise with the employees, employers, and employee’s inspectors in accordance with section 25, regarding matters concerning the safety or health of persons at the mine.

(2) A safety and health representative for a mine has such powers as are necessary for the carrying out of the representative’s functions under this Act and in particular, but without limiting the generality of the preceding statement, may, where requested to do so by an inspector, accompany an inspector while the inspector is carrying out, at the mine, any of the inspector’s functions under this Act.

(3) A safety and health representative incurs no civil liability arising from the representative’s performance of, or failure to perform, in good faith any function of a safety and health representative under this Act.

(4) If a scheme has been established under section 55A, the references in this section to the mine and a mine include —

(a) if the scheme applies to more than one mine, each mine to which the scheme applies; and

(b) if under the scheme a safety and health representative is elected for a group of employees, each mine or part of a mine at which any member of the group works.