Explanatory note

These Regulations give effect with modifications to proposals of the Health and Safety Commission submitted to the Secretary of State:—

(a) providing for the appointment of safety representatives and prescribing their functions in relation to the employees they represent and their workplaces;

(b) providing for time off with pay for safety representatives in order that they may perform their functions and undergo training in aspects of those functions; and

(c) providing the cases in which it is the duty of employers to establish safety committees in accordance with the Regulations.

The Regulations also modify Part III of Schedule 1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974 so as to extend the jurisdiction of industrial tribunals to enable them to deal with complaints by safety representatives relating to time off with pay.