Effective Safety Committees

A formal safety committee should be appointed to assist management on matters relating to the control of accidents, injuries, and incidents. To maintain continuity and control, the safety coordinator should be assigned as a permanent staff consultant to the safety committee. Note that committees do not dictate policy nor relieve those in the line of authority of their direct responsibility.

Basic Functions

1. To create and maintain an active interest in safety;
2. To reduce accidents; and
3. To involve workers in furthering the cause of accident prevention.

Membership

The size of the organization determines the type and number of safety committees that will function most effectively. A governing committee should include key executives and workers respected by fellow employees. All committees should include people with knowledge of methods, practices, and conditions in many areas of the organization.

Safety Committees

There is usually a central safety committee composed of department or division heads. It often includes people like department managers and should include an hourly employee from each department.

Other common committee types include:

• Department Safety
• Foreman’s Safety
• Labor/Management Safety
• Housekeeping

A multi-operational business may use more than one of these committees. A central safety committee should deal with policies and other general issues. The task of the central safety committee is to provide overall guidance and direction for safety, industrial hygiene, and loss control. Delegates, management, and hourly employees from each department or operating facility should attend the central safety committee meeting.

Department safety committees should focus on specific departmental issues. The department safety committees should meet approximately one week before the central safety committee. The task of the department safety committees is to solve specific problems and develop department policy.

Activities

When a committee is formed, certain policies and procedures should be set forth in writing and should cover:

1. Scope of responsibility of the committee
2. Extent of committee authority
3. To whom the committee reports
4. Procedures such as:
   1. Time and place of meetings (committees should not be required to meet after working hours)
   2. Frequency of meetings
   3. Order of business
   4. Records to be kept
   5. Attendance requirements

These basic functions should be carried out by a safety committee:

• Create safety policies and recommend their adoption by management;
• Work through supervisors by having management-approved recommendations put into practice;
• Conduct safety inspections, discover unsafe conditions and practices, and determine their remedies;
• Alert and inform supervisors and heads of departments to help them understand that safety is the responsibility of everyone.
• Alert and inform workers and convince them they should obey safety rules and instructions;
• Provide an opportunity for free discussion of both problems leading to accidents and preventive measures;
• Maintain a cooperative spirit between management and employees;
• Establish procedures for handling safety recommendations and suggestions; and
• Review accident investigations and make suggestions and recommendations.

Committee meetings should be scheduled periodically and should be held on schedule. Regular attendance by each member should be required. All recommendations and suggestions from these committees (recorded in the minutes) should receive careful and prompt consideration.

Members of a workers’ safety committee may be selected in one of two ways: they may be appointed by their supervisor, or they may be elected by their fellow employees. However, the committee members should be allowed to select their own chairperson.

The success of a safety committee depends on:

1. The support that management is willing to give to the group;
2. The belief each member has in his or her usefulness in the overall safety program; and
3. The willingness of each committee member to accept responsibility.