Safetip #32: 15 Typical Duties of a Safety Committee

Clearly Define the Duties of a Safety Committee

Safety committees bring together workers and employers. They contribute to a culture of safety. The formation of safety committees is a regulatory requirement in certain jurisdictions around the world, including Canada, many states in the U.S., and many EU member-states. In addition, many organizations have safety committees as a best practice.

To make sure that safety committees operate as efficiently as possible, it is a good idea to clearly define and document the purposes of safety committees, and to follow a five-step process for forming safety committees. Once a safety committee is ready, it is also helpful to establish the parameters of the committee’s activities by clearly defining its duties.

15 Duties to Make a Safety Committee Effective

WorkSafeMT, a nonprofit organization focused on improving workplace safety in Montana, has outlined the typical duties of a safety committee in Best Practices for Workplace Safety Committees. The list is thorough, yet simple, which makes it very practical. Here’s the full list from WorkSafeMT:

1. Report unsafe conditions and suggest corrective actions.
2. Meet at least monthly; less frequently for smaller departments or operations, but at least meet quarterly.
3. Clearly define the duties and responsibilities of committee officers and members.
4. Review incidents, near misses, supervisor’s Accident Investigation Reports, and, on a periodic basis, claim summaries and loss analysis.
5. Review all serious injuries—not for fault-finding, but for fact-finding to prevent a reoccurrence of the same or similar incident.
6. Contribute ideas and suggestions for improvements in safety.
7. Work safely and influence others to work safely.
8. Make periodic facility safety audits.
9. Sponsor and coordinate contests, poster programs, safety drives, etc., and supply other informational materials that help promote safer operations.
10. Develop, implement and review written safety programs (job-specific and company-wide).
11. Build enthusiasm for safety programs.
12. Direct involvement with organization-wide safety training.
13. Establish dispute resolution procedures.
14. Propose and create safety checklists.
15. Identify high-risk job tasks and develop written safe operating procedures.

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Use the list “as is”, or adapt it to fit your particular circumstances based on your industry or region.

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