New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATION 2001 - REG 23

23 Workgroups represented by OHS committees or OHS representatives

(1) The relevant workgroups to be represented by OHS committees or OHS representatives are to be determined in a manner that ensures that they are able to represent effectively the employees in each workgroup and, in particular, in a manner that enables them to undertake regular meaningful communication with the employees in each workgroup.

(2) The diversity of the employees and their work must be taken into account when determining the relevant workgroups. In particular, the following must be taken into account:

(a) the hours of work of employees (including the representation of employees on shift work),

(b) the pattern of work of employees (including the representation of part-time, seasonal or short term employees),

(c) the number and grouping of employees,

(d) the geographic location where the employees work (including the representation of employees in dispersed locations such as those in the transport industry or working from home),

(e) the different types of work performed by employees and the different levels of responsibility,

(f) the attributes of employees (including gender, ethnicity, age and special needs),

(g) the nature of the occupational health and safety hazards at the place of work,

(h) the interaction of the employees with the employees of other employers.

(3) It is not necessary to establish separate workgroups for different categories of employees, places of work or other matters referred to above.

(4) OHS consultation arrangements that include both an OHS committee and an OHS representative for a workgroup must ensure that the committee is the principal mechanism for consultation for that workgroup.