Your safety committee plays an essential role in keeping your workplace safe. However, all too many business undercut the effectiveness of their committees by making these mistakes:
- Unclear roles. Have a written agreement that the committee meets regulatory requirements and communicates with all employees about its activities.
- Inadequate budget. Invest in financial resources for member training, safety and health fairs, and other activities.
- Unwieldy size. Structure the committee based on the size of your business and the hazards workers face. Keep it relatively small so that members can participate actively. If needed, set up subcommittees for special projects.
- Failure to orient new members. Because newcomers might be unaware of group dynamics and past issues, the committee should bring them up to speed by providing minutes and other documents. If possible, have departing members orient newbies.
- Lack of follow-up. Committees rise and fall depending on their reputation for doing what they say they’ll do. Leaders should request status reports and review assignments at the end of the meeting to keep everyone on the same page. Many committee agendas list both the topic and the person responsible for implementing it.
- Lackluster participation. The best members are active, involved participants who eagerly share their passion for safety with their co-workers. Leaders should find ways to get all members fully involved representing their department or work group.
- Same old, same old. Committees must innovate to maintain interest and involvement. Encourage leaders to learn about successful committees at other businesses and borrow good ideas. Canvass all employees to make sure their good ideas are getting through.
To learn more about making your safety committee as effective as possible, feel free to get in touch with our agency at any time.
