Involving Your Workforce in Health and Safety

What is HSG263?

HSG263 "Involving Your Workforce in Health and Safety" is the HSE's guidance on consulting employees and involving them meaningfully in health and safety decisions. It goes beyond the legal minimum to explain how genuine worker engagement creates safer, healthier workplaces.

Workers often have the best knowledge of the risks in their jobs. Involving them in health and safety decisions leads to better solutions, greater buy-in, and a stronger safety culture.

Who Needs This Document?

This guidance applies to all employers, but is particularly valuable for:

• Small business owners unsure how to consult employees
• Managers responsible for health and safety
• HR professionals supporting employee relations
• Newly appointed safety representatives
• Union representatives working on health and safety
• Any employer wanting to improve their safety culture

Whether you have 5 employees or 500, the principles of workforce involvement apply.

Key Topics Covered

Legal Requirements

Two sets of regulations require employers to consult workers:

Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977:

• Applies where a trade union is recognised
• Union can appoint safety representatives
• Representatives have specific legal functions
• Employer must establish safety committee if requested

Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996:

• Applies where no union is recognised
• Employer must consult employees directly OR through elected representatives
• Less prescriptive than union arrangements
• Still requires meaningful consultation

Both require consultation on:

• Introduction of measures affecting health and safety
• Arrangements for appointing competent persons
• Health and safety information provided to employees
• Planning and organisation of health and safety training
• Consequences of introducing new technology

Benefits of Involvement

Going beyond legal compliance brings real benefits:

For safety:

• Workers spot hazards managers miss
• Solutions are more practical and accepted
• Problems are reported and fixed faster
• Near-misses are more likely to be reported

For the business:

• Reduced accidents and associated costs
• Better morale and engagement
• Lower sickness absence
• Improved productivity
• Stronger reputation

For workers:

• Safer working conditions
• Voice in decisions that affect them
• Recognition of their expertise
• Greater job satisfaction

Methods of Involvement

The guidance covers various approaches:

Direct consultation:

• Team meetings and toolbox talks
• One-to-one discussions
• Suggestion schemes
• Surveys and questionnaires

Representative consultation:

• Safety representatives (union or elected)
• Safety committees
• Worker forums

Involvement in activities:

• Risk assessments
• Workplace inspections
• Accident investigations
• Developing safe systems of work

Making Consultation Effective

For consultation to work, employers should:

• Consult in good time, before decisions are made
• Provide relevant information
• Listen genuinely to views expressed
• Give reasons if suggestions aren't adopted
• Follow up on issues raised
• Give representatives time to perform their role

Poor consultation - consulting after decisions are made or ignoring input - is worse than no consultation at all.

How This Applies to You

Step 1: Understand Your Legal Duties

Determine which regulations apply:

• Is a trade union recognised for collective bargaining? → Use union safety representatives
• No union? → Consult directly with employees OR through elected representatives

Either way, you must consult on key health and safety matters.

Step 2: Establish Consultation Arrangements

For small businesses (under 20 employees):

Direct consultation often works best:

• Regular team discussions on health and safety
• Include safety as an agenda item in team meetings
• Ask for input on risk assessments
• Encourage reporting of concerns

For larger businesses:

Consider representative arrangements:

• Elected representatives of employee safety (ROES)
• Safety committee meeting quarterly
• Representatives covering different areas/departments
• Written terms of reference for committees

Step 3: Support Representatives

If you have safety representatives:

• Provide paid time off for duties
• Allow time for training (at least basic training)
• Give access to relevant information
• Make facilities available for meetings
• Respond to issues they raise

Step 4: Involve Workers Practically

Go beyond formal consultation:

Step 5: Build Safety Culture

Use involvement to build a positive safety culture:

• Recognise good safety suggestions
• Act visibly on worker concerns
• Share learning from incidents
• Celebrate safety improvements
• Never blame workers for raising issues

See HSG65 - Managing for Health and Safety for more on safety culture.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Special Considerations

Multi-employer Workplaces

Where multiple employers share a workplace:

• Each employer consults their own workers
• Coordinate on shared risks
• Share information between employers
• Consider joint safety committees

Contractors

Involve contractors in relevant health and safety matters:

• Pre-start briefings
• Site safety rules
• Reporting hazards and incidents
• Coordinating activities

Remote and Mobile Workers

Don't forget workers who aren't office-based:

• Include in consultation arrangements
• Virtual meetings can work
• Regular check-ins on safety issues
• Ensure they can report concerns

Related Guidance

• Workplace safety topic - Overview of employer duties
• Competent person explained - Appointing help
• Managing for health and safety (HSG65) - Safety management framework
• Risk assessment guide - Involving workers in assessments
• Health and safety policy - Including consultation arrangements
• Your health, your safety (INDG450) - Guide for workers

Official HSE document: HSG263 on HSE website↗