The Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989

Functions of safety representatives

16.  Each safety representative shall have the following functions–

(a) to investigate potential hazards and dangerous occurrences and to examine the causes of accidents where the interests of the members of his constituency might be involved or those of any other member of the workforce when that person’s safety representative is not available or there is no safety representative for that person’s constituency;

(b) to investigate complaints by any member of his constituency relating to the occupational health and safety of any member of the workforce and to investigate complaints by any other member of the workforce when that person’s safety representative is not available or there is no safety representative for that person’s constituency;

(c) to make representations to the installation manager and, where appropriate, to every employer on matters arising out of paragraph (a) or (b) above;

(d) to make representations to the installation manager and, where appropriate, to any employer on general matters affecting the occupational health and safety of members of the workforce;

(e) to attend meetings of the safety committee established under regulations 19 and 20 below;

(f) to represent his constituency members in consultations on the offshore installation with Inspectors appointed under section 6(4) of 1971 Act; and

(g) to consult members of his constituency either individually or, so far as is reasonably practicable, collectively on any matters arising out of the foregoing provisions of this regulation and the provisions set out in regulation 22 below, as appropriate;

but no function conferred on a safety representative by this regulation shall be construed as imposing a duty on him.