One or more health and safety committee(s) must be established when employers have appointed two or more health and safety representatives or when inspectors from the Department of Labour instruct the employers to do so. The employer should decide on the number of health and safety committee members.
Under what condition an employer must create a WHS committee?
When a health and safety representative, or five or more workers, at a workplace request a health and safety committee be created, the ‘person conducting a business or undertaking’ (PCBU), who is usually the employer, must create one within two months of the request.
What is the function of a health and safety committee?
The main functions of the health and safety committee are to: facilitate co-operation in developing and carrying out measures to improve the safety of workers. help develop health and safety standards, rules and procedures.
What are three 3 important jobs of the health and safety committee?
What Are the WHS Committee Responsibilities?
- Provide a forum for committee members to discuss WHS issues.
- Develop plans or procedures to resolve the identified issues.
- Recommend corrective actions to reduce hazards.
- Address any additional health and safety issues.
- Evaluate reports submitted by the HSRs.
What are the responsibilities of the safety committee?
Safety Committee Responsibilities
- Review all safety and health policies and procedures established by the agency pertaining to hazards management.
- Review incidents involving work-related fatalities, injuries, illnesses or near misses related to hazards management.
Who is the chairman of safety committee?
The safety committee shall be constituted by the Chairman of the port and shall include besides port officials, representatives of port users, the recognised labour unions and the Chief Inspector.
The committee should be established within 3 months of the initial request. Before setting-up the committee, the employer must: consult with the safety reps who made the request. consult other union representatives in the workplace.
How often should the health and safety committee meet?
once every three months
A health and safety committee shall hold meetings as often as may be necessary, but at least once every three months, at a time and place determined by the committee.Is it a legal requirement to have a health and safety committee?
Although there is no such requirement if you consult health and safety representatives elected by the workforce, it is good practice to set up a health and safety committee where: you have to consult both union-appointed health and safety representatives and employee-elected representatives.
When must an employer appoint health and safety representative?
According to Section 17 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993), employers who employ 20 or more workers on premises must appoint representatives to monitor health and safety conditions.
What is the purpose of a health and safety committee?
What is the purpose of health and safety committees? Members meet to initiate, promote, maintain and review measures of ensuring the health and safety of workers.
What are the duties of health and safety committee?
Committee’s duties:
- They may make and keep records of recommendations to employers and inspectors;
- Where these recommendations do not lead to solving the matter, the committee may make recommendations to an inspector.
- Shall discuss, report and keep records of incidents in which someone is killed, injured, or becomes ill.
What is the main role of health and safety committee?
A health and safety committee can be an important way to improve conditions on the job. An effective committee can help prevent injury and illness on the job; increase awareness of health and safety issues among workers, supervisors, and managers; and develop strategies to make the work environment safe and healthy.
What is the role of a health & safety committee?
A health and safety committee is a useful forum for consultation on work health and safety issues. A committee enables persons in control of a business or undertaking and worker representatives to meet regularly and work co-operatively to develop policies and procedures to improve work health and safety outcomes.
When does an employer need to establish a health and Safety Committee?
An employer must establish an HSC within three months after being requested to do so by a health and safety representative (HSR) or if required by the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (OHS Regulations) to do so. Penalties may apply to contraventions of this requirement.
When did Occupational Safety and Health regulations come into force?
These regulations may be cited as the Occupational Safety and Health (Safety and Health Committee) Regulations 1996 and shall come into force on 1 January 1997. Regulation 2. Interpretation.
How often should chair of Health and Safety Committee be rotated?
The Chair of the meeting should be rotated between a management representative and the senior employee representative on the Committee (either meeting by meeting or after agreed time periods such as every three or six months).
How does self regulation apply to health and Safety committees?
In other words the number of persons that would form part of the committee is left to the discretion of the employer, the so called ”self regulation principal” applies.
