Other safety reps
[ch 4: page 33]Stand-alone arrangements for consultation over health and safety exist in certain industries. Under the Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989, for example, the installation owner/operator and employerare instructed to consult safety representatives in good time on a range of health and safety issues.
The regulations, which don’t refer to union recognition, say that there must be at least two groups, referred to as constituencies, of safety representatives for every installation. Each group should cover no fewer than three people, but with an upper limit of 40 and with elections at least every two years.
It is the duty of the offshore employer to permit reps to take the necessary time off work to perform their functions without loss of pay. The regulations require the employer to meet any reasonable costs associated with training including travel and subsistence costs. On the subject of pay, the wording is similar to that used for union reps and union safety reps.