The Safety Committee Program fosters a collaborative approach to workplace safety by involving representatives from all departments. This program encourages the formation of safety committees that conduct regular meetings, inspections, and development of safety policies and procedures.
Establish a clear and comprehensive safety committee policy/charter that outlines the committee's purpose, roles, responsibilities, membership, operating rules, and training. Each committee member must review and sign or acknowledge the charter annually.
Implement a Safety Committee that meets at least monthly to identify and address safety concerns. Program requirements include:
Establish a committee composed of labor and management representatives from all work activities, with management representation not exceeding labor representation
Hold committee meetings at least once each month, either in person or virtually
Prepare and maintain written agendas and meeting minutes for each meeting
Make meeting minutes available to all employees by posting them physically or electronically (e.g., via email or the company intranet)
Members should receive general and job-specific safety training, including information on accident and illness prevention related to the employer’s business.
Employers selecting the Safety Committee Program for the first time must ensure the safety coordinator and any employees involved in implementation complete WSI's Safety Committee Program online course within the first 90 days of their eligible policy period.
LMS Access: Email [email protected] for assistance accessing this course through WSI's Learning Management System.
WSI recommends the following best practices for an effective, sustainable safety committee:
Select engaged members who genuinely want to participate and contribute.
Ensure broad representation, including members from each shift, department/location, and diverse backgrounds.
Make membership structured and sustainable, using term limits and having members recommend replacements when their service is complete.
Rotate leadership responsibilities so different members take turns leading meetings and committee activities.
Provide committee-specific training so members become credible safety resources (for example, OSHA 10-hour, hazard recognition, accident investigation, SOP review).
Involve the committee directly in hazard recognition, including reviewing and improving inspection forms, completing inspections, identifying hazards, and verifying corrective actions are completed.
Require regular safety contributions, such as a monthly “good catch/good find” to share and discuss.
Conduct workplace walkthroughs and tours to improve familiarity with operations and identify risks.
Review and analyze safety data regularly, including near-miss reports, loss history, and trends to identify areas for improvement.
Support employee safety through hands-on training, including demonstrations and task-specific training tied to SOPs and procedures.
Assign accountability through tracking tools, such as a task sheet to ensure follow-through on committee actions.
Develop and maintain safety metrics, including dashboards and meaningful performance indicators.
Share communication consistently, including posting meeting minutes and committee updates.
Recognize and reward participation, such as tokens for near-miss reporting, incentives for extra effort, and conference attendance opportunities.
Promote the committee's visibility and importance through clear organizational support and visible identification (e.g., special PPE or clothing).
Keep meetings productive and engaging while maintaining clear expectations and a focus on results.
Reward and/or recognize committee members when appropriate, recognizing the time and effort required to contribute effectively.