Common misconceptions about HSRs
admin • September 30, 2025
At BeSafe, we often come across misconceptions about Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and we thought it was worth taking the time to address some of the more common ones.
Understanding the Role of Health and Safety Representatives
In many workplaces, the term “Health and Safety Representative” (HSR) is met with a mix of appreciation, confusion, and sometimes even resistance. While HSRs play a vital role in promoting safe work environments, there are often misunderstandings about their purpose, authority, and responsibilities.
Let’s unpack a few of the most frequent misunderstandings:
- “HSRs are part of management.” Not at all. HSRs are elected by workers to represent their health and safety interests. They are not enforcers of company policy, nor are they accountable to management in the same way supervisors are.
- “They’re just there to report hazards.” While hazard identification can be part of their role, HSRs do much more. They can consult with workers, investigate complaints, participate in risk assessments, and can even request the establishment of a Health and Safety Committee.
- “HSRs can shut down operations.” This is a big one. HSRs do have the power to issue Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs) and direct unsafe work to cease—but only under specific conditions and within legal boundaries. These powers are designed to protect workers, not disrupt business unnecessarily.
- “They don’t need training.” In fact, HSRs are entitled to attend approved training courses to understand their rights and responsibilities. This training empowers them to be effective advocates for safety.
The Real Role of an HSR
HSRs are key to creating safe workplaces. They bridge the gap between workers and management, acting as a conduit to help ensure that safety concerns are heard and addressed. Their role is proactive, as they can help to identify risks before they become incidents.
When businesses embrace HSRs as partners in safety, the benefits can include:
- Improved communication around safety issues
- Greater worker engagement and morale
- Reduced incidents and injuries
- Higher safety standards in the workplace
What Businesses Can Do
To clear up the confusion and make the most of HSRs, businesses should:
- Educate leadership and staff on the legal role and rights of HSRs Leaders OHS Course | BeSafe | Regional Victoria
- Support HSRs with access to training, resources, and time to perform their duties HSR Initial OHS Training Course | BeSafe | Regional Vic HSR Refresher OHS Training | BeSafe | Regional Victoria
- Engage in genuine consultation—not just tick-the-box meetings
- Treat safety as a shared goal, not a regulatory burden
Health and Safety Representatives really are an asset to business. When businesses understand and respect their role, everyone wins and shares in the benefits of a safer workplace.
In summary:
An HSR is:
- Elected by their peers
- A voluntary role
- A representative of their designated work group (DWG)
- Able to work to resolve health and safety concerns on behalf of their DWG
- Able to act as a conduit to facilitate communication and consultation
An HSR is NOT:
- A safety manager
- Responsible for the safety of the workplace
- Responsible for enforcing safety
- Required to investigate safety matters or act as a technical expert
- Required to exercise their powers
Need more help? Get in touch HSR Training and support | BeSafe | Regional Victoria
It has been a long time coming, and the promised released date for Victoria's new Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Psychological Health Regulations is imminent. These regulations, which are anticipated to be released in October and to come into effect on 1 December 2025 , aim to address the growing recognition of psychosocial hazards in the workplace. What Are Psychosocial Hazards? Psychosocial hazards refer to workplace factors that can negatively impact an individual’s mental health and well-being. These include, but are not limited to: Workplace bullying High job demands or low job control Poor workplace relationships Exposure to traumatic events Discrimination or harassment Such hazards can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges, which not only affect individuals but also reduce workplace productivity and morale. They can also lead to catastrophic consequences for some individuals. Why are new Psychosocial Regulations being introduced? The Victorian government has responded to recommendations made by the Boland Review of WHS, the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health. There is already a legal obligation under the existing Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act): employers must provide and maintain a working environment for their employees, including contractors, that is safe and without risks to health, so far as reasonably practicable. In addition, in Section 5 of the OHS Act, health is defined as including psychological health. However, there is limited guidance in Victoria as to how this should be done. The new Regulations are intended to close this gap. The new regulations are designed to ensure that employers take proactive steps to identify, assess, and manage psychosocial risks. They will dictate how an employer must identify and control psychosocial risks in the same way that they manage physical hazards. This includes a risk management approach to these hazards and how to implement measures to prevent harm and create a supportive work environment. A Compliance Code will accompany the regulations, providing practical guidance for employers on how to meet their obligations. This will include strategies for risk assessment, consultation with employees, and implementing controls. How Can You Prepare? Review your safety structures in your workplace – do you have elected Health and Safety Representative, Designated Work Groups and Health and Safety Committees - and are they working well? Ensure your reporting and consultation processes are sufficient and working well. Remember that open communication is key and that you have a legal obligation to consult with your employees on any changes which may affect their health and safety in the workplace. Review your existing policies and procedures – are there policies around bullying, harassment and workload management? Make sure your general OHS knowledge base is strong. This might mean looking at your existing training . Are workers, HSR’s, supervisors, managers and the leadership team all up to speed on their rights and obligations under the OHS Act? BeSafe Victoria can help you with HSR training, refreshers and leaders OHS training. HSR Training Courses | BeSafe | Regional Victoria Take a look at Psychological health | WorkSafe Victoria and utilise the WorkWell toolkit at WorkWell Toolkit | WorkSafe Victoria Start to plan how you will implement a training schedule once the Regulations are released. Watch this space – BeSafe will be developing a course to bring you up to speed once we have the Regulations and Compliance Code. Reach out if you are interested in being notified once this is available: HSR Training and support | BeSafe | Regional Victoria As always, if you need any help, reach out to BeSafe on 0467 002 060 or admin@besafevictoria.com.au
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