Safety Committee
A Safety Committee is composed of management and workers’ representatives assisting the employer in creating and maintaining a safe workplace. A Safety Committee is mandatory for factories employing more than 50 staff.
Do you know if there is a Safety Committee in your factory?
Members of the committee
The total number of members allowed on a Safety Committee ranges from 6 to 12. Such committee is equally represented by the employees’ and employer’s side (50-50).
Regulation on numbers of committee members
- For fewer than 500 staff:
6 members - For 501-1000 staff:
8 members - For 1001-3000 staff:
10 members - For more than 3001 staff: 12 members
The positions to be appointed in the committee
- President (from the employer’s side)
- Vice President (from the employees’ side)
- Member Secretary
- General members
If one-third of the total staff in a factory are women, then one-third of the committee members must be elected out of the female staff.
When to form the committee?
Within nine months of establishing a company, a committee must be formed.
Nomination
Employers must nominate representatives within seven days of the employees having nominated their representatives. The first meeting shall be held within 15 days after both sides have nominated their representatives.
Employers must inform the staff of the role and composition of the committee.
Duration
Up to two years after holding the first committee meeting.
Role of the Safety Committee
The line management – from the CEO to the line supervisors – is responsible for enforcing safety in the factory.
The role of the Safety Committee is
- to advise the management on Occupational Health and Safety (OSH)
- to assist management in implementing the act, rules and other regulations on OSH
- to monitor the implementation of OSH regulations
- to organise training for various groups in the factory
- to coordinate with the management, workers and the Labour Inspectorate to implement legislation
Tasks of the Safety Committee
- Participate in the development, implementation and monitoring of the company health and safety policy and procedures.
- Support the setup and training of the company fire-fighting team, evacuation team and first aid team.
- Develop a risk assessment checklist
- Regularly conduct comprehensive risk assessments using the checklist, including development of remediation proposals and monitor the implementation of OSH measures.
- Maintain up-to-date copies of the legal acts, implementation rules, building codes and circulars related to fire safety and OSH.
- Inform both management and staff about its activities (also letting workers know about decisions taken on issues raised/reasons for delays in resolving issues).
- Cooperate with authorities concerned. Inform the Labour Inspectorate if management has not acted within seven days after receiving a recommendation from the committee.
- Conduct regular checks and suggest corrective measures.
- Inform the employer if any risk is identified.
- Receive OSH concerns from workers and assist in investigating and resolving them.
- Determine the serious and immediate risks to the health and safety of workers and request the employer to take immediate action.
- Actively participate in the development, organisation and delivery of relevant trainings and information campaigns.
- Conduct accident investigations.
- Maintain contact details of OSH experts and authorities.