Safety Representatives

Introduction

Well-trained Safety Representatives serve as a vital link between workers and management. Training enhances their ability to communicate effectively, interpret safety data, and represent employee concerns clearly and professionally. This collaboration fosters a culture of mutual trust and shared responsibility, and strengthens the organisation’s safety culture.

The goal of Safety Representative training is to equip Safety Representatives with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to effectively represent employees on health and safety matters and contribute to a safer workplace.

Safety Representatives Training and the Law

Irish law requires that Safety Representatives receive adequate training, paid for by the employer, to support their consultative role in promoting health and safety. The training should enable the Safety Representative to acquire the knowledge necessary to discharge their functions under the Act. The level of training should match the complexity of the workplace hazards and the representative’s duties.

In all sectors except for construction, the employer is legally obligated to ensure that Safety Representatives receive training. On construction sites with >20 employees, the Project Supervisor at the Construction Stage (PSCS) must ensure that Safety Representatives receive training.

Separately, employers are responsible for training Safety Representatives on the specific hazards and safe systems of work in their own workplaces.

Best Practice for Safety Representative Training

Learning Objective

The learning objective is to empower Safety Representatives as effective advocates who help bridge the gap between workers and management in creating a healthier, safer workplace.

Safety Representatives should be trained to

1. Understand safety processes and legislation.
2. Consult effectively with both employees and management.
3. Participate in safety inspections or investigations.
4. Represent employees’ safety concerns appropriately.
5. Communicate effectively with managers and staff.
6. Promote a positive safety culture.

Who Provides Training

Training can be provided by commercial training organisations or Trade Unions.

Trainer Profile

The trainer should have at least a basic qualification in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). Ideally, they should also have practical experience in a Safety Representative role to ensure the training is relevant and grounded in real-world practice.

Training Syllabus and Duration

Training should include the following topic areas:

• Overview of Occupational Health and Safety.
• Role of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA)
• The preventive approach to safety and health at work.
• Safety and health legal system and legislation.
• The safety consultation and participation process.
• Role and functions of Safety Representative
• Safety culture and safety leadership.
• Risk-control and safety and health management at work.
• Hazard identification and carrying out risk assessments.
• Safety Statement.
• Accident investigation, recording and analysis.
• Safety performance evaluation – including leading and lagging indicators.
• Protection of Vulnerable Workers.
• Engaging employees in safety awareness initiatives.
• Communication skills for Safety Representatives.
• Sources of safety and health information
• HSA resources and tools.

The level of detail provided on each topic will depend on the size, level of risk, degree of complexity and level of development of the safety and health management in the workplace. The law does not specify how long Safety Representatives training should be, but good practice is to provide between three to five days of training. Even for lower-risk workplaces, the training course should last at least three days, with practical sessions to demonstrate the issues under study.

Class Size and Delivery Format

Training can be delivered online, in person (face-to-face), or through a blended format combining both methods.  To ensure effective learning and interaction, class sizes should be limited to no more than 20 participants. Training should include both theory and practical exercises. The training should include informal discussions and group activities.

Assessment & Certification

Assessment is not mandatory. However, it is considered good practice to include a short test or multiple-choice questionnaire (MCQ) at the end of the course. This helps reinforce learning, check understanding, and provide feedback to learners.

Learners should receive a certificate for attending the training.

Initial and Recurrent Training

Safety Representatives should receive initial and refresher training. The law does not specify how frequently refresher training should be, but good practice is about every three years.

Peer Learning

Safety Representatives should be encouraged to support and learn from one another—both within their own organisation (past and present) and from others in the wider sector. Learning from fellow Safety Representatives helps share knowledge, solve problems faster, and encourage teamwork across departments. By sharing real-life experiences and practical tips, they gain a deeper understanding of safety that goes beyond formal training.

Experienced Safety Representatives should mentor newer ones, sharing lessons from past incidents and practical knowledge. This builds confidence and accelerates learning beyond formal training.

In large organisations, Safety Representatives from different departments meet regularly to share concerns, review incidents, and propose safety initiatives. This promotes cross-functional learning and empowers employees to shape safety culture.

It is important to create safe spaces for discussion—both formal (Safety Committees) and informal (coffee chats).

Safety Representative: Competence Indicators

#	Area	Indictors
1	Knowledge of Safety Legislation and Policies	Understands relevant occupational safety and health (OSH) laws, regulations, and company policies Knows the rights and responsibilities of employees, employers, and Safety Representatives Knows where to access and interpret official guidance Can distinguish between their own role (consultation and representation) and that of the employer or Safety Officer
2	Risk Awareness	Recognizes common workplace hazards and understands basic risk control principles Understands how to interpret and engage with risk assessments and safety data
3	Communication and Consultation	Communicates clearly with employees and management on safety matters Actively listens to workers’ concerns and conveys them effectively Participates in Safety Committees meetings with confidence Uses safety performance data to inform discussions with management and staff
4	Safety Culture	Promotes a positive safety mindset Reinforces that everyone has a role in workplace safety—not just management or safety professionals Encourages others to engage with safety policies and procedures Encourages and monitors employee participation in safety meetings or toolbox talks Supports near-miss reporting and helps identify underlying trends Promotes a learning culture by encouraging reflection after both successes and setbacks
5	Safety Activities	Participates in regular safety inspections and hazard identification activities Understands and follows procedures when participating in these activities Identifies safety issues and suggests practical, reasonable solutions Follows up on reported concerns or actions where appropriate
6	Continuous Learning	Seeks opportunities for further learning (e.g. refresher training, learning from peers) Stays informed about changes in workplace practices or legislation
7	Teamwork and collaboration	Works cooperatively with other Safety Representatives, supervisors, and safety professionals Shares information and good practices across teams or departments
8	Professionalism and integrity	Acts in a fair, objective, and responsible manner Maintains confidentiality and respects others' input Avoids blame and focuses on safety improvement

If workers see their company making progress on promoting safety and health, they will be motivated to do more to ensure compliance. The best way to engage workers to follow safe work procedures is to get them involved in the development and review of those procedures. It is important that worker's opinions are valued and considered, and for them to be included in the implementation of health and safety measures in the workplace. After all it is the workers who are doing the jobs and they will have valuable insights to offer. 

Employees can elect, select and appoint their Safety Representative or, by agreement with their employer, select more than one Safety Representative. The number of Safety Representatives should be proportionate to the size of the workplace, and should ensure, diverse work activities, departments or specialised occupations are represented. The person(s) selected as a Safety Representative can represent their colleagues in consultations with their employer on matters of safety, health and welfare at their workplace.

On construction sites where more than 20 persons are employed at any one time on a construction site, the project supervisor for the construction stage (PSCS) must facilitate the appointment of a Safety Representative.

Safety Representatives have rights, but they carry no duties, responsibilities or liability for health and safety in the workplace over and above that of any other employee. They are not Safety Officers.

Overall function

A Safety Representative may consult with, and make representations to, the employer on safety, health and welfare matters relating to the employees in the workplace. The employer must consider these representations, and act on them if necessary.

Carrying out inspections

Safety Representatives, after giving reasonable notice to the employer, have the right to inspect the whole or part of a workplace that they represent at a frequency or on a schedule agreed between them and the employer.

Carrying out investigations

A Safety Representative may investigate accidents and dangerous occurrences in the workplace to find out the causes and help identify any necessary remedial or preventive measures and may make written or verbal representations to HSA inspectors. However, a Safety Representative must not interfere with anything at the scene of an accident.

Other Duties

A Safety Representative may also:

• make representations to the employer on safety, health and welfare at the workplace;
• receive advice and information from inspectors in relation to safety, health and welfare at the workplace;
• make verbal or written representations to inspectors, including about the investigation of accidents or dangerous occurrences;
• accompany a Health and Safety Authority inspector carrying out an inspection at the discretion of the inspector, and where an employee concerned so requests, be present when the inspector interviews the employee about an accident or dangerous occurrence at the workplace; and
• consult and liaise with other Safety Representatives appointed in the same workplace, whether or not they work in the same place or in different places under the control of the employer or at different times at the workplace (for example, safety representatives on different shifts).
•  the employer must consult the Safety Representative in advance of workplace changes which can potentially impact on health and safety in the workplace.  

A properly informed Safety Representative can play an important role in preventing accidents and ill-health, it is in the employer’s interest to ensure that Safety Representatives are supplied with all relevant information.

Safety Representatives must have access to information on:

• any risk assessments and safety statement relating to their place of work;
• reportable accidents, occupational illnesses and dangerous occurrences without identifying any individual;
• on safety and health measures required under safety and health legislation; and
• any safety and health information on dangerous equipment, chemicals or processes used at their workplace including instruction manuals and safety data sheets.

A properly informed Safety Representative can play an important role in preventing accidents and ill-health, it is in the employer’s interest to ensure that safety Representatives are supplied with all relevant information.

The Authority has provided more detailed information on the role of the Safety Representative and it is set out in the publications listed below.