The Health and Safety Information for Employees (Modification and Repeals) Regulations require employers to provide general information to employees and to consult representatives on health and safety matters.
Employers must display a poster or distribute leaflets giving general information about the requirements of health and safety law. Information must be provided on risks to which employees are exposed and the procedures to be taken in the event of danger.
This information must be kept up to date and, where a poster is displayed, it must be in an accessible place and positioned so it can easily be read.
Representatives of employees must also be given information to enable them to carry out their functions.
HSE Inspectors must give information to representatives in respect of any action which they have taken or propose to take in connection with the employer's premises.
Employers have a duty to ensure that employees are provided with adequate health and safety training, during working time, when recruited or if they are exposed to new or increased risks.
The employer must ensure that each safety representative is able to undertake training, in respect of that representative's functions under the Regulations. In the case of representatives of employee safety, the employer must provide the time and facilities and pay for any such training. An employer is required to ensure that trade union safety reps are given such sufficient time and facilities to undertake training provided by their union or the TUC.
The employer must also allow each representative such time off with pay during working hours as is necessary to enable them to undergo such training or to perform their functions and must allow similar time off to a candidate for election as a representative in order to perform their functions as a candidate.
