South Africa Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 18: Functions and entitlements of representatives: reviewing measures, identifying hazards, examining incident causes with the employer, investigating complaints, making representations, inspecting the workplace on notice, accompanying inspectors, attending inquiries and audits, inspecting documents, and the employer's duty to provide agreed facilities, assistance and training

What does 18 require?

A health and safety representative may, for the designated workplace or section, review how effective the health and safety measures are, identify potential hazards and possible major incidents, examine the causes of incidents together with the employer, investigate employee complaints about health or safety, make representations to the employer or the committee and, if unsuccessful, to an inspector, make representations on general matters, inspect the workplace including articles, substances, plant, machinery and safety equipment at agreed intervals on reasonable notice with the employer entitled to be present, take part in consultations with inspectors and accompany them, receive information from inspectors and attend committee meetings. The representative is entitled to visit incident sites and attend inspections in loco, investigations and formal inquiries, inspect documents the employer must keep, accompany inspectors, be accompanied by a technical adviser with the employer's approval not unreasonably withheld, and take part in internal audits. The employer provides the facilities, assistance and training the representative reasonably requires and as agreed, and representatives incur no civil liability merely for omitting to act.