1. Effective Health and Safety Committees – Part Two
This material was produced under the grant SH SHO from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

2. Objectives
At the end of the training, health and safety committee members will:
Establish a committee structure and process
Develop an action plan for the year that identifies one – two priority health and safety issues to work on

3. In the best of all worlds………………
What’s Your Vision?
In the best of all worlds………………
DISCUSSION: What are some elements that would make a committee successful? Flipchart answers
Image: Energystar.gov

4. Elements of a Successful Committee
Having a committee that reflects the membership
Setting priorities that are reasonable and attainable
Having regular meeting times and clear roles of committee members
Keeping minutes and following through on member issues
Gathering information
Training and education
Conducting investigations
Investigating incidents
Keeping in touch with the leadership and membership
Having a committee that reflects the membership – recruiting at least one member from every constituency.
Setting priorities that are reasonable and attainable
Having regular meeting times and clear roles of committee members
Keeping minutes and following through on member issues
Gathering information (health and hazard surveillance – surveying members; reviewing logs, reviewing employer written plans, etc.)
Training and education
Conducting investigations
Investigating incidents
Keeping in touch with the leadership/membership - posting minutes of meetings, recording findings, reports in union newsletter, etc.

5. Review Function and Process for Joint Committees
Management and unions should each appoint their own members t the committee
Equal number of management and union representatives is ideal
Representatives from several sites or schools is important
Rotation of representatives is important
Management representative with the latitude to act upon the committee’s recommendation is essential (budgetary authority as well as expertise)
What are important key concepts for joint committees?

6. Now, how are we going to organize our selves to fulfill the vision?
How are we to function?
So, we all have a vision!
Now, how are we going to organize our selves to fulfill the vision?
Where to Start?
Defining the purpose of the committee and your overall goals through a mission statement.
We got the vision thing, now the hard work begins. How are we going to organize ourselves in the health and safety committee?
Discussion: Why are mission statements important?
IMAGE: Microsoft Clipart

7. Why are mission statements important?
Provides direction.
Defines purpose – i.e. why do we exist?
A safety net or beacon when the committee loses its sense of direction.
Image: Microsoft Clipart

8. Tips for Mission Statements
What is the role of health and safety committee?
Complaint investigations?
Training?
What are the powers of the health and safety committee?
Access to records?
Recommendations to employer?

9. Drafting Your Mission Statement
Activity: Developing a Mission Statement
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Image: Broken Chord's photostream
Image: Broken Chord's photostream
What’s the committee’s “vision” (short and sweet)
What’s the purpose of the Health and Safety Committee (five or six bullets)

10. Establishing a Committee
Step #1:
What roles and associated responsibilities need to be established ?
Chair person
Vice chair
Committee members
Subcommittees
How will these roles be determined?
How long will people serve in these roles?
Will there be alternates?
Will there be subcommittees for specific tasks?
Activity: Establishing a Committee – group discussions of key components of committee structure

11. Establishing a Committee
Step #2:
How often should the committee meet?
How will the agenda be established?
Who should take minutes and how will they be approved and distributed?

12. Establishing a Committee
Step #3:
How will decisions be made within the committee?
How will conflicts be resolved?
Discussion: Group will discuss these concepts and following slide will summarize key concepts for conflict resolution.

13. Key Concepts for Conflict Resolution
Simple communication is at the heart of conflict resolution
Important skills include:
Listening to each other and seeking to understand the problem
Flexibility and willingness to change
Respecting the opinion of others and agreeing to sometimes disagree
Democracy – majority rules

14. Establishing a Committee
Step #4:
How will you communicate with members/stakeholders?
How will you keep the membership involved in the process?
What systems need to be put into place to obtain H&S related suggestions, reports of hazards or other information directly?
Will the committee respond to hazards, complaints, accidents or other situations as they come up?
Image: Microsoft Clipart

15. Keeping our Members Engaged
What are their issues?
How do you find out?
How often do you ask?
What needs to be put into place to obtain H&S related suggestions, reports of hazards or other information directly?
Discussion: Have them think about ideas for keeping them informed and engaged. Flipchart answers
Image: Microsoft Clipart

16. Preventive Approach Who will you be dealing with in management?
Will the committee take a preventative approach, such as:
Getting involved in long-range planning on equipment
Renovations
Employee trainings, etc.?
Who will you be dealing with in management?
Image: Microsoft clipart

17. Homework Review
Activity: Discussion of homework assignments – what did people find out about their workplaces and compliance with standards and regulations?
Image: Microsoft clipart

18. Making Recommendations
How will recommendations on ways to eliminate or correct hazards and unsafe work practices be made to leadership and administrators?
What will be the plan if recommendations aren’t addressed?
Image: Microsoft clipart

19. Next Steps – Your Homework Assignment!
What is the most important health and safety issue within your facility that the committee should address first?
What do you think you need to be effective and how will you go about accomplishing that?
How does your solution benefit:
The union?
The employer?
The community?
Discussion: Prioritizing issues; being effective