Resources

Case studies

You can find historical case studies of worker involvement in the National Archives.

They show how various organisations have successfully consulted their employees and involved them in managing health and safety.

Publications

• Involving your workforce in health and safety: Good practice for all workplaces
• Consulting employees on health and safety: A brief guide to the law
• Consulting workers on health and safety. Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 (as amended) and Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 (as amended). Approved Code of Practice and guidance
• A guide to the Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989. Guidance on Regulations
• Play your part! How offshore workers can improve health and safety

Research

RoSPA report

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) produced a report Worker involvement in health and safety: what works?. It presents findings from discussions with a wide range of businesses as well as detailed case studies.

HSE research reports

• RR580 - Using Soft People Skills to Improve Worker Involvement in Health and Safety
• RR581 - HSE Better Backs 2006: Worker Involvement Evaluation Research with Unite Amicus Safety Representatives
• RR516 - An investigation of approaches to worker engagement
• HSL/2005/41 - Workforce Participation in Occupational Health and Safety Management in non-unionised Workplaces (PDF)
• HSL/2005/52 - Workforce Participation in Occupational Health and Safety Management at FMC Technologies Ltd, Dunfermline
• RR363 - The role and effectiveness of safety representatives in influencing workplace health and safety
• RR296 - Obstacles preventing employee involvement in health and safety
• WPS/00/03 - Employee involvement in health and safety: Some examples of good practice
• HSL/2005/09 - Workforce participation in the management of occupational health and safety
• CRR 2001/321 - The impact of trade union education and training in health and safety on the workplace activity of health and safety representatives
• HuSU/2014/17 - An exploration of the current effectiveness of worker engagement practices in the quarry industry

Useful links

Here are the list of organisations you can approach for further help and advice. Remember that HSE and local authorities can give you advice on health and safety matters but they will not get involved in employment relations matters.

Health and safety

• Migrant workers
• Agency workers
• The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI)
• HSE Employment Medical Advisory Service
• Local authorities

Employment relations

• Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas)
• Department for Business and Trade

You can find details about trade unions and the TUC, including information on a wide range of health and safety issues and health and safety representatives, from the following websites:

• Trades Union Congress (TUC)
• Scottish Trades Union Congress

Independent health and safety bodies and other health and safety advice

• British Safety Council (BSC)
• Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)

Help with holding elections

The following organisations are specified by the Secretary of State under employment legislation to undertake independent scrutiny of trade union elections.

They can also help you with advice on running elections for employee elected representatives of health and safety, and can run the election for you if you wish.

• Civica Election Services
• Involvement and Participation Association (IPA)
• Popularis Limited

There is also further information in Trade union executive elections: guide for trade unions and their members (on GOV.UK).

Training suppliers

• National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (Nebosh)