Workplace Safety & Health Committees and representatives play a vital role in monitoring, improving, and ensuring workplace safety, however, members are not responsible for managing safety and health in the workplace.
Committees are made up of both employer and employee representatives, and all committee members must receive certified health and safety training to perform their roles effectively and with confidence. Committees are responsible for:
- Receiving and reviewing safety & health complaints and concerns from facility staff.
- Identifying potential hazards and promoting health and safety precautions.
- Conducting regular workplace inspections: One of the key duties of the committee is inspecting the entire workplace at regular intervals; at least once every 90 days for committee members. Access a sample workplace inspection form.
- Conducting investigations and recommending corrective actions: The employer is responsible for investigating all serious incidents regardless of whether WSH conducts an investigation. The co-chairs of the safety and health committee must be involved in the investigation, and any other incident that injures a person and results in the person requiring medical treatment or that has the potential to cause a serious incident. Access a sample incident investigation summary report form.
- Promoting safety & health education and training programs.
- Participating in the development and review of safety recommendations and policies.
- Cooperating with others on workplace safety and health matters.
Read more about committee responsibilities.
Download the SAFE Work guide to setting up a committee.
Did you know…?
- An employer must establish a workplace safety and health committee for each workplace where at least 20 of their workers are regularly employed?
- Committees shall be co-chaired by one chair from the employer’s side and one chair from the employees’ side?
- Committees must contain no less than four members and no more than 12 members, and at least half of all members must be from the employees’ side?
- Insofar as is reasonably practical, supervisors must take all precautions necessary to protect the safety and health of a worker under his or her supervision?
Thinking about getting involved?
Consider stepping forward as a volunteer member of your employer’s Workplace Safety & Health Committee.