This Safetip is about safety committees and five steps for forming a committee.
The steps are from the paper "Best Practices for Workplace Safety Committees," prepared by WorkSafeMT, a nonprofit organization focused on improving workplace safety in the state of Montana.
1) Determine the structure of the safety committee
A safety committee should include:
- Chairperson
- Vice Chairperson
- Secretary
- General Members
The General Members should be individuals from various areas and levels of the organization representing administration, operating departments and staff personnel. In addition, membership eligibility requirements and terms of service must be clearly defined (i.e. membership selection process, qualification requirements, length of individual membership terms and rotation of membership procedures). These criteria should cover all membership positions. Finally, general membership on the committee should be established on a rotation basis.
2) Determine the optimum size of the committee
The next step is determining the ideal number to be part of the committee. If a joint labor-management safety committee is being formed, it is important to maintain balance in the number of representatives from each group. Representatives from various departments and work groups should be included. A target of five to ten committee members is ideal.
3) Determine the specific committee members
Once the structure and size of the safety committee are determined, it is time to select the members. There are two methods to do this:
- Handpick the specific employees that would make good committee members. Make sure to represent all work groups and shifts.
- Issue an open invitation to employees and supervisory personnel, asking for volunteers. Depending on the response, specific individuals may still be asked to join the committee.
Regardless of method, members should be periodically rotated on and off the committee.
4) Involve Top Management
Top management should be a member of the committee. If top management decides not to participate, it should at least attend the initial meeting and visit periodically afterwards. Top management should also review the meeting minutes and be available to respond to questions and concerns from the committee. Most importantly, management must establish committee authority and support it.
5) Conduct the initial safety committee meeting
Once the safety committee is established, the first meeting can take place. The following important items should be covered at a minimum:
- Setting a schedule for the committee to meet (e.g. once a month) that is convenient for all members.
- Determining the committee officers (chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary).
- Discussing and prioritizing the duties of the committee (e.g. facility self-inspections, development of written safety programs, incident reviews).
- Determining the need for subcommittees to take responsibility for priority items.
Finally, remember to review the progress of the committee at least annually. Each year, the safety committee’s progress should be reviewed to evaluate the committee’s success in helping the organization meet its safety goals and objectives.