Why elected health and safety reps matter in Queensland schools

Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 131 No 2, 2 April 2026, page no 13.

In every Queensland school, the safety of staff and students must be non-negotiable. Yet too often, the people who understand the risks best — the workers on the ground — are left without a real voice in shaping the conditions they work in every day. 

That’s why having elected health and safety representatives (HSRs) isn’t just important; it’s essential. The QTU is fighting to ensure every school has properly elected, trained, and empowered HSRs.

When HSRs are elected by their colleagues, they carry the legitimacy and trust that only democratic choice can provide. They aren’t appointed by the employer, and they don’t answer to the employer. They answer to the workers who put them there. That independence matters. It means HSRs can raise concerns without fear; challenge unsafe practices; and push for real change — not just symbolic gestures.

Schools are some of the most complex workplaces in the state. Staff deal with physical hazards, unpredictable student behaviour, escalating workloads, psychosocial pressures, and chronic underresourcing. Without an elected HSR, these issues too often go unreported, unresolved, or dismissed. With an HSR, workers have a trained advocate who can identify risks early, demand action, and ensure no one is left to struggle alone.

Under Queensland’s work health and safety laws, HSRs have real, enforceable powers. They can request information about hazards, participate in inspections, and issue provisional improvement notices (PINs) when risks aren’t addressed. These aren’t workplace “nice to haves” — they are legal WHS rights designed to protect workers. When schools resist or undermine the election of HSRs, they are undermining the safety of their own staff. 

The QTU campaign to develop a network of HSRs isn’t just about compliance; it’s about culture. We have determined that the collective noun for a group of HSRs will henceforth be a Safeguard, because we have witnessed that schools with active HSRs have stronger systems and communication, better morale, and fewer injuries. Staff feel safer speaking up. Problems get solved earlier. Workplaces become more respectful and more transparent. We know that when staff feel supported, students benefit.

Our Union knows that safe schools don’t happen by accident. They happen when workers stand together, organise, and demand the protections they deserve. Electing HSRs is one of the most powerful steps we can take to shift the balance toward safer, fairer workplaces. 

So, we’re calling on every school to hold proper HSR elections. We’re calling on every member to participate. Because when workers have a voice, workplaces are safer. When HSRs are elected, empowered, and supported, everyone wins. And when we stand together, we make our schools stronger — not just for today, but for the future.

If you are an HSR, please email organisers@qtu.asn.au so we can add you to the QTU HSR Network and expand our “Safeguard” of HSRs!

For more on WHS, visit the QTU website.