(1) The powers and functions of a health and safety representative for a work group are (a) to represent the workers in the work group in matters relating to work health and safety; and(b) to monitor the measures taken by the person conducting the relevant business or undertaking or that person's representative in compliance with this Act in relation to workers in the work group; and(c) to investigate complaints from members of the work group relating to work health and safety; and(d) to inquire into anything that appears to be a risk to the health or safety of workers in the work group, arising from the conduct of the business or undertaking.(2) In exercising a power or performing a function, the health and safety representative may (a) inspect the workplace or any part of the workplace at which a worker in the work group works (i) at any time after giving reasonable notice to the person conducting the business or undertaking at that workplace; and(ii) at any time, without notice, in the event of an incident, or any situation involving a serious risk to the health or safety of a person emanating from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard; and(b) accompany an inspector during an inspection of the workplace or part of the workplace at which a worker in the work group works; and(c) with the consent of a worker that the health and safety representative represents, be present at an interview concerning work health and safety between the worker and (i) an inspector; or(ii) the person conducting the business or undertaking at that workplace or the person's representative; and(d) with the consent of 1 or more workers that the health and safety representative represents, be present at an interview concerning work health and safety between a group of workers, which includes the workers who gave the consent, and (i) an inspector; or(ii) the person conducting the business or undertaking at that workplace or the person's representative; and(e) request the establishment of a health and safety committee; and(f) receive information concerning the work health and safety of workers in the work group; and(g) whenever necessary, request the assistance of any person.
Note
A health and safety representative also has a power under Division 6 of this Part to direct work to cease in certain circumstances and under Division 7 of this Part to issue provisional improvement notices.
(3) Despite subsection (2)(f) , a health and safety representative is not entitled to have access to any personal or medical information concerning a worker without the worker's consent unless the information is in a form that (a) does not identify the worker; and(b) could not reasonably be expected to lead to the identification of the worker.(4) Nothing in this Act imposes or is taken to impose a duty on a health and safety representative in that capacity.