Health and Safety

The role of trade union Health and Safety representatives is not limited to safety but includes making representation to employers (in our case the OU) on general matters affecting health, safety and welfare at work.

In addition to appointing safety reps for each section of the work force, we also have the right to two places on the OU Health and Safety Committee.  Currently on the OU Health and Safety Committee for the OU branch we have Lesley Kane and Peter Piper, both OU Associate Lecturers - please refer to our Reps & Contacts page for other Health and Safety reps. Anyone who wishes to contact our health and safety reps should email ucu@open.ac.uk.

The main publication by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) for trade union safety reps is the “brown book”.

Another important document is a publication by the Health and Safety Executive about employers consulting employees on matters to do with health and safety.