Chapter 26 – Safety Committees & Meetings

B. References and Resources

1. WSU (SPPM) 2.12 Unit Safety Committees and Meetings
2. Washington Administrative Code Safety committees/safety meetings
3. Washington State Department of Labor and Industry Safety Meetings and Committees

C. Safety Committee Structure

Membership

Non-management Representatives:

• Employees elect fellow workers to represent them on the committee.
• Employees elect committee members to serve for a one-year term. Members may be reelected by their peers. There is no limit on the number of terms to which employees may be reelected.
• Vacancies are filled by special election.

Management Representatives:

• The unit administration appoints at least one management representative to the committee.
• The number of management members may not exceed the number of non-management employee members.

Representation by Area

D. College & Departmental Safety Committee Functions

Safety meeting agendas must include the following activities:

• Review Levels 1 & 2 Safety Committee meeting minutes as requested by those committees.
• Assist unit supervisors in promoting or publicizing relevant safety and health topics (i.e., issues, policies, programs, training).
• Evaluate employee safety concerns, reported hazards, and suggestions, and proposing solutions.
• Assist unit supervisors in reviewing job or operating procedures and recommending improvements.
• Evaluate Incident Reports and Supervisor’s Accident Investigation Reports to determine causes/problems and recommending methods of prevention or solutions.
• Refer unresolved safety problems to the unit administrator.
• Evaluate the unit’s Accident Prevention Program and other applicable safety and health programs (e.g., Chemical Hazard Communication Program, Laboratory Safety Manual) and making recommendations to the unit administrator on improvements.
• Assist unit supervisors in coordinating and conducting annual safety self-inspections.

Optional meeting activities:

• Meeting annually with the unit administrator and supervisors to select projects based on their activities, potential hazards, accident history, and WSU policy requirements.
• Reporting progress on safety projects during safety committee meetings.

E. Documentation

Minutes

• The group appoints or elects a representative to document safety meetings.
• Every Safety Committee in the College must document the minutes of meetings.
  • Committees may use the Safety Meeting Report and Agenda form on SPPM 2.12.4-5 or may create a report to document meetings.

Routing

• Safety Committees must route safety meeting reports to unit Chairs or Directors for signature.
• Departmental Safety Committees will submit signed meeting reports to:
  • The Department by direct distribution to employees or by posting copies on safety bulletin board;
  • The College Safety Committee by posting meeting minutes on the safety database in Teams.

Retention

• Every Safety Committee in CAS will maintain copies of safety meeting reports on file for at least two years, in accordance with University records retention requirements. (See BPPM 90.01.)