In an organisation, consulting with workers is one of the critical ways of promoting health and safety. Employers should consult with their workers and health and safety matters as frequently as possible. Consultation usually involves exchanging opinions and information between two parties to reach an agreement towards a particular course. In the workplace, one of the ways an employee can consult with workers is through setting up a health and safety committee.
A health and safety committee is one of the methods employers will generally use to consult with workers. They are often made up of key management personnel and workers’ representatives. The committee meets regularly to discuss and resolve health and safety issues. The committee has to be set up and run according to agreed rules and procedures.
What is the purpose of a health and safety committee?
The health and safety committee aims to offer a platform whereby the employer and the workers will meet regularly to discuss health and safety matters. During the meeting, if any issues can expose the workers to harm or injury or any improvement on the environment’s safety, the management can bring it up and inform the workers concerning that. The workers, in turn, will bring up their ideas on the Hazard and risk aspects of their work activities. Risk assessment, safety training, safety induction, incident and Accident Investigation, incident learnings, etc, can be discussed in the safety committee meeting.
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Factors to consider before setting up a health and safety committee.
There are a lot of factors you have to put in place or consider when you want to set up a health and safety committee in an organisation.
1. Members of the committee.
You have to determine who will be on the committee. Not everyone is meant to be on the committee. There should be a balance between managers and workers. The right managers and the right workers have to be on the committee.
2.Frequency of the meeting.
The frequency of the safety committee meeting should be decided whether to meet regularly or frequently. Maybe once in a month or once in 2 months.
3.The head of the committee.
You have to consider who will be the head of the committee or the chair of the committee. In most meetings, we always have a head that takes charge of the discussion so that the meeting will be relevant. With the head in place, people will have an excellent opportunity to speak accordingly.
4.The authority of the committee.
The committee’s authority has to decide whether they can make decisions or rely on someone else to make decisions for them. If this is not done, most of their discussions will centre on lots of talks but no action. Having one or more senior managers with executive authority in the meeting is often important.
5.Topics to be discussed.
Topics to be discussed should be known. Most times, the common practice will be to publish the agenda of the meeting before the meeting commences. Having a topic beforehand will give the meeting direction and be effective.
6.Recording of the discussions.
Recording of the discussion has to be decided. Sometimes, the minutes of the meeting will be processed and posted on the notice board so that all workers we see it.
7.Follow up on the discussed issues.
Knowing how the follow-up will be on the matters or the actions discussed is good. Actions must be recorded within the meeting minutes, and responsible persons should know the deadline. If actions were not met, they would be moved to the subsequent health and Safety committee meeting to be handled.
Onyeka Emma is a QHSE Professional with more than 10 years of experience in occupational health and safety, which spans many industries such as construction, beverage, oil and gas, etc. He has many health and safety certifications, including NEBOSH IGC, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 Lead auditor certificate. A member of IOSH, ISPON, and Nigeria Red Cross Society. He is interested in business, entrepreneurship, Speaking, and motivating people to do better for themselves. He enjoys leisure with a good motivational book.
