Safety committee resource guide

Section 1: OSHA rules

Each safety committee member should be given a copy of the Oregon OSHA Rules for Safety Committees.  This rule is succinct and provides basic guidance on the purpose and activities the safety committee must carry out.

437-001-0765 Div1 - 121, Safety committees and safety meetings      

Section 2: Foundation of safety

This document provides an overview of characteristics of a healthy and safe workplace. The safety committee is a conduit for building a strong foundation of safety in the workplace.

440-4755 (OR-OSHA) (11/18) The foundation of a safe workplace handout    

Section 3: Policy and by-laws

The safety committee should have a set of rules for how they operate. This provides the scope of activities for members, defines goals and activities for the group, helps establish consistency with meetings, and sets expectations for accomplishments and outcomes.

Safety committee bylaws 

Section 4: Annual calendar

The annual calendar is not a requirement for safety committee. However, it does provide a way for committees to plan for speakers and events, and determine if their efforts are successful.

Safety committee training calendar

Section 5: Agenda/Minutes 

Oregon OSHA is clear about what information must be discussed and captured in safety committee meeting minutes. We start with a sample agenda you can use to build your own. These meeting minute forms provide the structure-all you have to do is type it.

Forms:

• (10 or fewer employees)  Safety meeting minutes [Spanish]
• Safety committee minutes [Spanish] [fillable Word document]
• Safety committee agenda & minutes [Spanish]

Section 6: Inspections

Oregon OSHA requires quarterly inspections to identify and control safety and health hazards. The first form below is a guide to help you identify the most common hazards, and the second is a
blank departmental form to use when conducting your inspection.

Hazard ID general resource

This guide [Spanish] will help you identify the most common workplace hazards.

Department inspection form

Use this generic checklist [Spanish] to identify common workplace hazards and actions to correct them.  

Section 7: Incidents/Accidents

All accidents must be analyzed to prevent them from happening again. The two forms below can help you with the analysis process and provide a handy record of your efforts. Be sure to review all completed forms in your safety committee meeting.

• Current version of S-767 Incident/Accident Analysis form [Spanish]
• Current version of S924 Action Form [Spanish]   

Section 8: Recommendations

Oregon OSHA requires all organizations to have a process for collecting safety recommendations. This form is one way to capture those ideas. Be sure to include them in the safety committee meeting.

Forms:

• Safety committee recommendation form [Spanish] [fillable Word document]  

Section 9: Assessment forms

The safety committee is charged with evaluating the employer's accountability system annually. This Employer Safety and Health Program Assessment is a good way to do that, and offers the opportunity to examine other systems, too.   Employers are also required to complete a PPE Assessment and Certification, which determines which tasks require personal protective equipment (PPE). Including safety committee members in this process is a best practice as they can offer perspectives from all areas of the organization.

Current version of S-866 Employer Safety and Health Program Self-Assessment

Safety committee self assessment

Safety committee annual review form (OR OSHA)

Safety committee hazard assessment for PPE [Word]  [PDF]

Section 10: Training resources

For the safety committee chairperson, knowing where to go for training resources is important-especially when scheduling trainings for their meetings and knowing what resources SAIF partners can provide for onsite assistance. Putting safety first can reduce costs. But more importantly, it saves lives. 

Current version of M0008 safety and health services [English] [Spanish]

Safety committee resource guide [Spanish]

Section 11: SAIF & OR OSHA Training

If the committee wants to supplement required and optional trainings in their meetings, you can check out saif.com and Oregon OSHA. Oregon OSHA's videos can be checked out by anyone in Oregon and anyone can register for the free trainings.

OSHA Video Library

Other free trainings at SAIF

Other free trainings from Oregon OSHA     

Section 12: EAIP

Employer-at-Injury Program (EAIP) is an employer-activated program that can help pay for equipment to help injured workers modify job tasks. The safety committee can help with this process, by brainstorming ideas and potential solutions to help workers return to their jobs after injury. The safety committee can use these resources in the process.

Current version of G811 Employer-at-Injury Program [Spanish]

Current version of G951 Return-to-Work purchase ideas [Spanish]

Current version of G952 Worksite modification ideas [Spanish]