The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) Regulations 1997

Election of safety representatives and safety committees

17.—(1) In every ship to which this regulation applies, and where there is no existing arrangement under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977(1) the Company shall make rules for the election and appointment of safety representatives.

(2) In every election for a safety representative the candidate receiving most votes shall be elected, provided that no safety representative shall be appointed who has less than two years' consecutive sea service since attaining the age of 18, which in the case of a safety representative on board a tanker shall include at least six months' service in such a ship.

(3) The appointment of a safety representative shall terminate—

(a) on that person ceasing to be employed in the ship; or

(b) from the date on which that person resigns from that position or on which another duly elected person is elected in his place.

(4) In all ships where a safety representative is elected, the Company shall appoint a safety committee which shall include the master as chairman, the safety officer and every safety representative, and may also include any other person appointed under regulation 14(1).

(5) The appointment of every person under regulations 14(1), 15(2) and 17(1) and the appointment of any of those persons onto a safety committee shall be recorded in writing.

(1)

S.I. 1977/500.