The document provides guidance on effective safety committees. It begins by having the reader rate their current safety committee and identifies that safety responsibilities are often combined with other roles. An effective safety committee is described as integral to a comprehensive safety program and helps promote safety awareness, build enthusiasm, reduce injuries, and ensure regulatory compliance. Keys to success include clear goals, management support, training, effective problem-solving, and making meetings productive and engaging for members.
2. Rate Your Safety Committee
1. Motivated, get things done, cornerstone of
your safety program, focus on problem
solving and safety promotion, loved by all.
2. They meet, do some things OK, have trouble
staying on track, basic function is to review
accidents and conduct inspections.
3. Have not accomplished anything of value in
the past year, bored, on the verge of breaking
up.
4. Don’t meet anymore, in need of life support
or a mercy killing.
5. Don’t have a committee at all.
3. The Challenge
With today’s corporate trend of streamlining
and multi-tasking, management level
employees are required to wear several
“hats”.
Positions dedicated solely to safety are
becoming less common. The responsibility of
safety is being combined into other functions
such as Human Resources, Operations or
Production Managers
This makes the use of Safety Committees
extremely important
4. A Safety Committee is ….
….. an integral element of a
comprehensive Safety and Health
Program. It serves to demonstrate top
management’s direction and commitment
to Safety as a priority of the organization.
5. Purpose
The main purpose of a safety
committee is to help promote safety in
the workplace!
Safety
First
7. Some of the functions a safety
committee can assist with:
Regulatory Compliance
Emergency Planning (Bomb threat, Fire,
Workplace Violence)
Training (OHS Act, WHMIS, General Safety)
Program Development and Implementation
Ergonomics
Inspections
Job Safety Analysis
Accident Investigation reviews
Employee Safety Promotion
8. Safety Committees
Safety Committees have the ability to
make an immediate positive impact on a
safety program.
If managed properly, Safety Committees
can be one of the biggest time savers for a
safety manager.
Liaison between Management and
Employees
9. Safety Committees:
How do we do it?
What makes them fail
What makes them successful
Some new ideas
10. Benefits - Organization
Fewer accidents and lost work time
Promotes involvement
Delegates work to more
Accomplishes more safety projects
Increased productivity
Saves money
11. Benefits - Employees
Safer work environment
Better communication
Increases safety awareness
Enhanced employee morale
12. Myths…
Safety Committees…
Relieve managers and supervisors of their
responsibility for safety.
Take the place of other safety programs.
Involve only employees.
13. What Makes Committees Fail
No direction
No successes
Frustration
Boredom
Why are we here?
This is a waste of my time!!
No support
14. Possible Barriers to Success
Lack of…
Management commitment
Committee expertise or training
Teamwork
Leadership
Direction and goals
Follow-up
Focus on specific issues
Preparation for meetings
15. What Makes Committees Fail
This is a big no-no:
Asking your safety committee members to be
the “safety police”.
17. Membership – Cornerstone of an
Effective Committee
All employees should have the opportunity to
participate
Representation by all departments,
locations,operations, divisions,
Include Office staff
Membership should be 5 to 15 (5 to 7 is
optimal)
Designee plus alternate
Membership should be on a volunteer basis
Rotate members
Assign specific responsibilities to
chairperson, secretary, and members.
18. Should Management be
involved
Pro’s
Shows buy in
Improves Internal Communication
Causes more effective deployment of
resources
Management knows why and how the
committee came up with the idea
19. Should Management be
involved
Cons
Intimidating to some employees
Management gives little support
Management shoots down all ideas
Always concerned about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
20. Responsibilities -
Chairperson
Organize agenda items, speakers, and other
related materials for meeting
Forward recommendations to appropriate
management personnel
Prepare periodic loss analysis reports / Large
loss report
Follow-up to past recommendations and
report status
Conduct meeting in orderly fashion
21. Responsibilities - Secretary
Prepare meeting agenda and notify
members
of date and location
Gather agenda items and related materials
Roll call of members
Record minutes
22. Responsibilities - Members
Attend all meetings and actively participate
Set a positive example for safe
performance
Conduct inspections according to
schedule
Participate in accident investigation and
review
Report unsafe acts or conditions
23. Structure
Determine frequency of meeting
Pre-schedule meeting dates
Limit to one hour
Prepare agenda
Record and distribute minutes
Appoint sub-committees when needed
24. Rules of Order
Call to order
Roll call by secretary
Introduce visitors
Review minutes of previous meeting
Conduct business
Old
New
Sub-committee reports
Review accident data
Review inspection reports
Adjournment and schedule next meeting
25. Functions of the Committee
Provide a forum for formulation and
discussion of health and safety policies.
Provide a channel through which policies
can be recommended for adoption by
management.
Generate ideas for improving health and
safety.
Stimulate interest of employees.
Review and update safety training plans.
26. Functions of the Committee
Make recommendations on the use of
protective clothing and equipment.
Develop safe work practices / JSA’s
Examine accident reports and suggest
prevention techniques.
Conduct regular safety inspections
27. Set them up for Success
Coffee and doughnuts!
Bring in a guest speaker
Show safety related videos/photos
Present awards/show recognition
Have safety demonstrations
Encourage employee interaction – no one
can remain silent throughout the meeting –
everyone has input
28. Successful Safety Committee
Basics
Show up on time
Finish on time
Start with an agenda and stick with it.
This is not a complaint session, a place to
talk about your children, how many beers
you can consume, or why the Leafs can’t
win the big one.
29. Keys to success
Visibility/Recognition
Post their name, Give them stature
Credibility
“Quick” wins
Reasonable attainable goals
Zero accidents is not a reasonable goal.
30. Keys to success
Training
Don’t assume everyone has the same skills
Conflict resolution
Communication Skills
Meeting Management Skills
Time Management
Organization
Hazard Recognition
31. Keys to success
Assign Tasks
Expect Completion
Establish effective problem solving
methods
How do they make recommendations?
Who do they issue them to?
Management needs to respond
immediately, even if suggestion is being
denied.
32. Keys to success
If your safety committees are being used
as solely inspection or accident review
committees, you are creating an
environment for failure.
Be Creative!!!!!
33. Creative thinking for the Safety
Committee
Safety Committees should be task
oriented focusing on:
Safety Awareness: The safety committee
should be involved in improving the overall
safety awareness of your workforce.
Safety Program Development: Use them to
support your program and training needs.
This is a great opportunity to get employee
buy in.
After all its an “Employee Safety Committee”.
34. Safety Committee Ideas
Safety Promotion Awareness
Posters
Envelope stuffers
Contests
Get everyone involved
Make it fun
35. Safety Program/Accident
Reduction
Program Development
Review policy and procedures
Participate in Accident Investigations reviews.
Committee should sign off on all accident
investigations
• Accident Prevention
Target the key areas
• Ergonomics
• Training
• JTA’s
36. Accident Review Process
Step beyond accident investigation
Injured employee appears before the
committee or subcommittee
Not on trial – but some degree of “Heat”
Brainstorming
Evaluate effectiveness of supervisor
investigation
37. Some Tools For The Safety
Committee
Give the Safety Committee access to:
Phone
Computer (Internet)
Reference material
Digital Camera
Outside resources
And most of all TIME.
38. Spice Up A Meeting
Bring in outside speaker
Hold safety breakfast
Safety awards presentation
Designate monthly safety topic
Back Injury Prevention
Fire Prevention and Safety
Slips / Trips / Falls
Vehicle Safety
Personal Protective Equipment
39. Outside Resources
Get the most from the resources available
to you:
• Safety Services Nova Scotia
• Other Provincial Safety Associations
• Insurance Brokers
• Fire Department
• Networking
• Local C.S.S.E Meetings
• Seminars