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Good Worker Engagement, Participation and Representation (WEPR) plays a crucial role in creating safer workplaces. Whether you’re part of a health and safety committee, a Health and Safety Representative (HSR), or a safety champion in your business, ShopCare is here to support you.

Understanding your role

The role of an HSR is to advocate for workers and support the creation of a healthy and safe workplace where everyone can return home safely each day. The Government Health and Safety Lead (GHSL), in collaboration with WorkSafe and the Public Service Association (PSA), has developed an excellent resource defining the role of an HSR, which you can read here. While we use the term HSR throughout, it refers to any worker involved in health and safety committees or health and safety champions in a business.

 

The purpose of an HSR

As an HSR, your purpose is to:

  • Provide leadership in representing and advocating for workers’ health, safety, and well-being
  • Work collaboratively with workers, leaders, and union representatives to achieve positive outcomes
  • Identify health, safety and wellbeing risks and issues and, if needed, prepare formal recommendations based on current health and safety legislation and policies
  • Promote good practices and engagement in safety initiatives within your team and across your organisation
  • Communicate openly and transparently with people leaders in your organisation

 

Key responsibilities

As an HSR, you might be asked to:

  • Represent workers (or individual workers on request) on health and safety matters
  • Work with H&S practitioners to investigate complaints and assess risks
  • Monitor health and safety measures in your workplace
  • Make health and safety recommendations
  • Provide feedback on compliance with health and safety standards

 

WorkSafe has helpful guidance on the requirements of health and safety committees. Use the following links to resources to help build your knowledge:

HSRs need the courage to speak up, build trust, and engage.

Building your knowledge

Developing your knowledge is key to being an effective HSR. The New Zealand Institute of Safety Management (NZISM) developed the HSR Knowledge Wheel, outlining the skills, knowledge, and attributes essential for your role.

Credit: NZISM HSR Knowledge Wheel, shared with permission.

NZISM has developed a guidebook which provides a brief explanation of the subjects identified in the Knowledge Wheel. This is an excellent resource for building your health and safety knowledge to download the guidebook, visit NZISM HSR RepCentral.

Training opportunities

You can access free training modules developed by the Government Health and Safety Lead (GHSL) to deepen your understanding and improve your effectiveness.

If you want to be able to use the functions and powers available to HSRs under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), such as issuing Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs) or directing workers to cease unsafe work, you need to be qualified to do so.

Completing training, such as achieving NZQA unit standard 29315, will enhance your skills as an HSR and empower you to make a difference in your workplace. However, you don’t need to complete this training to serve on a health and safety committee or call yourself an HSR or a health and safety champion.

 

There is no joining fee or membership fee.

We are working for you – to make your workplace safer and to ensure your team get home safely to their family at the end of their shift.

Any worker has the right to stop work if they believe it is unsafe or unhealthy.

You do not have to have training to cease work if you believe it is unsafe or unhealthy. Under HSWA it is against the law to discriminate or take negative steps against an HSR because of their involvement in workplace health and safety.

If you are feeling unsupported by your manager, you can contact the WorkSafe Contact Centre on 0800 030 040 for confidential advice. You can also use this number anonymously if you are concerned about an unsafe or unhealthy work situation that could lead to death or serious harm.

Sign up for WorkSafe’s HSR newsletter, Kanohi Kitea, to stay updated on resources, events, and professional development opportunities.

Valuable resources

  • Good practice for worker engagement, participation and representation | WorkSafe
    Click to view
  • Health and Safety Representatives | Government & Health & Safety Lead
    Click to view
  • Health and Safety Committees
    Click to view
  • Worker Participation Agreements
    Click to view