Advice & support
Health & safety
The FDA is committed to ensuring that its members have the right to be as safe and healthy at the end of each working day. This fundamental right has been enshrined in law through concerted pressure by the trade union movement for centuries.
A unionised workplace is a safer place
Safety studies show that workers are twice as likely to be injured in a non-unionised workplace. This is because in unionised workplaces, employers are required to work with union-appointed safety reps and set up safety committees.
The FDA as a trade union has the right under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 to appoint workplace safety reps. The Regulations give various rights to safety reps, require employers to set up a safety committee and to inform and consult safety reps in good time on matters relating to health and safety.
Safety reps have the right to:
- take an active part in workplace risk assessments;
- investigate potential hazards and ‘dangerous occurrences’, and examine the accident book;
- investigate members’ complaints;
- carry out inspections of the workplace in work time, at least every three months;
- require their employer to set up and attend a safety committee (where two or more safety reps request this);
- be consulted on new working practices and new technology;
- receive safety information from their employer (e.g. inspectors’ reports, hygiene surveys and risk assessments);
- attend union-approved training courses without loss of pay; and
- have access to a phone and office equipment, and paid time off work, both to carry out inspections and to meet staff and other safety reps.
The training and support safety reps receive from their union mean that an experienced safety rep is in a good position to help. The FDA provides its safety reps with information, training and support over a wide range of health and safety issues. They are trained to spot hazards at work, assess risks, carry out inspections and negotiate improvements with management. Their back-up includes specialist advice from union safety experts, and access to legal advice if needed.
Become a Health and Safety rep for the FDA
Every branch and section across the FDA should have a health and safety rep. Members who are interested in wellbeing, health and safety in their workplace should contact their local committee or National Officer about the process of becoming their branch/section health and safety rep.
FDA reps can sign up to our new accredited two day health and safety course. It is designed to help you build the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to carry out your work as a safety rep. To sign up for this course, please contact organiser@fda.org.uk. Dates for the course will then be announced throughout the year.
Join the FDA today
By joining the FDA, you’ll be standing alongside more than 22,000 other members who believe that public services – and the people who deliver them – matter.