ABSTRACT
The desirability of a co-operative approach to health and safety in the workplace has been recognised for many years. A main recommendation of the Robens Committee in 1972 was that an internal policing system should be developed, whereby workforce representatives would play an active part in drawing hazards to the attention of workers and management, and play a positive role in explaining health and safety requirements to employees. Provision for these Regulations was made in the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, which originally contained two subsections dealing with the subject of employee rights to consultation by the appointment of statutory representatives with whom the employer would be required to enter into dialogue.
