Role of the Health and Safety Representative in Workplace Bullying

The functions of an elected Health and Safety Representative include liaising with employees on health, safety and welfare matters, and reporting to the employer any hazard or potential hazard to which employees might be exposed. Where there is a Health and Safety Committee, the Health and Safety Representative may refer the matter to the Health and Safety Committee.

Consultation with Health and Safety Representatives and Committees should be part of the processes used to develop anti-bullying strategies and the ongoing monitoring and review of the effectiveness of the strategies. Where bullying is an identified workplace hazard the employer is obliged to provide the Health and Safety Representative with any information the employer has, or can be expected to have about bullying.

If workplace bullying is reported, the employer should consider the extent to which the Health and Safety Representative should be involved in resolving the issue, and the rights of both parties to confidentiality pending investigation. The workplace policy and procedures should address both of these issues.

See the Four Step Process for more details on Identifying Hazards, and Developing Policies and Procedures in your workplace.