I have a very similar client at the moment and the only way I have managed to get around it is by having the Union safety reps included in the RA or in some cases acting as the facilitator for the RA themselves. Does take time to get that through as culture change always does...

Have you asked them why they want to see very single risk assessment? We consult our TUS colleagues all of the time on things like management policies and procedures but never on the risk assessments and individual SOPs; there’d be just too many. Is it because they don’t trust you (ie management) to do them? Perhaps they need reassurance on behalf of their members? Alternatively they could just be doing it to justify their existence to their members. In that case perhaps you can get them involved in something more creative like promoting a positive H&S culture or some such stuff?

Maybe the TU Safety Reps have read para 15 of the ACoP to the Management Regs: 'The risk assessment process needs to be practical and take account of the views of employees and their safety representatives who will have practical knowledge to contribute.' It could be that they saw Appendix 3 in 'Consulting workers on health and safety': HSE L146 referring to the Management Regs: 'Employers should involve employees and their representatives when deciding on appropriate preventative and protective measures and in implementing them.' Perhaps when they read the Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977 they understood that the 'Employers must consult safety representatives in good time with regard to matters concerning their health and safety at work.' In my experience trade union organisation at a local level is simply a reflection of management culture: 1970s style management gets a 1970s style reaction. So.... Some things tried elsewhere: 1 Joint Training: Get the Reps, managers and supervisors together and put the problems on the table. 'Facilitate' an agreed system for dealing with risk assessments based on what they are concerned about not what managers think should be superimposed. 2 Discuss and seek agreement about what the role of the safety rep actually is. As few have taken the time to do this, a variety of opinions exist in the safety reps own minds and those of managers/supervisors. 3 Discuss the issue with the safety reps formally; get to the bottom of the problem: seek an agreed solution. 4 Seek an agreed strategic plan for health and safety that has employee, safety rep and manager input. People support what they help create. Curious that safety reps get the blame for management failings. Perhaps a course for managers and safety reps on how to achieve a positive health and safety culture might be helpful. Cheers. Nigel

Sounds like the original poster works in the NHS. Run by the unions.

Is the problem they have with the quality of the risk assessment or the new working conditions which are not really H&S, but has come out through H&S risk assessments. Then challenging the RA is the only option they have to prevent altered working methods they don’t want. The other thought is:- are the issues they use to road block the RA process valid, are they genuine concerns and issues. The question that only you can answer is, are the management of whatever sector you are in actually taking the Michael, occasionally. Would the Unions like a more streamlined process, as others have said be part of it opposed to inspecting it, have they been asked. Of course they want to know about long term plans- wouldn’t you? Without real examples of something you tried to implement via RA and their concerns to it, it is hard to envisage the exact situation. All the best with your problem, it sounds as if you are stuck in the middle of a bigger fight