Health and safety

The Police Federation is committed to the principles of health and safety in the workplace. The Federation has trained a number of representatives to enable them to carry out the role of a safety representative.

The term safety representative is taken from:

• The Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1992 and 1998, and 
• The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations, 1977.

The role of the safety representative is identified as:

• The investigation of potential hazards, dangerous occurrences and causes of accidents at the workplace.
• Investigation of complaints by employees represented on health, safety or welfare matters.
• Making representations to the employer on matters rising from the above.
• Carrying out inspections of the workplace regularly, following notifiable accidents, dangerous occurrences or diseases, and documents.
• Representing employees in workplace consultations with Inspectors of the appropriate enforcing authority.
• Receiving information from those inspectors.
• Attending safety committee meetings in the capacity of safety representative in connection with any function above.

Liaison with Force health and safety team

The Federation's health and safety lead and the Force health and safety team have a positive, and productive professional relationship which regularly resolves issues promptly and to mutual satisfaction.