If a workplace has an agreed system of employee participation involving health and safety representatives, the employer, employees and any unions representing employees can decide on how health and safety representatives will be elected.

If the workplace has been unable to agree on a system and the default system applies, then the employees, together with any unions representing them, must either hold an election for the relevant number of health and safety representatives, or request the employer to do so.

If the employer is holding the election, the election must be held within 2 months.

Any election must:

• involve candidates who are willing to be representatives and who work regularly enough to do the job effectively
• be held by secret ballet
• give all relevant employees a reasonable opportunity to vote
• be determined by the majority of those who vote.

If there is only one candidate, then that candidate automatically fills the position. If there are no candidates, the position is not filled. In these cases, no election is needed.

Go to:

• Employee participation systems
• Functions of health and safety representatives
• Training for health and safety representatives
• Fact sheet: What is employee participation? pdf file [size: 30KB]
• Fact sheet: Employee participation systems pdf file [size: 31KB]
• Fact sheet: Health and safety representatives pdf file [size: 31KB]