Seeking Expert Advice: How Can We Improve Safety Committee Meetings and Meet Legal Standards?

I need your active participation and brainstorming on the Safety Committee meeting and its legal requirements.

Legal Criteria for Safety Committees

1. What are the legal criteria for the Safety Committee in any organization?

Agenda Points for Safety Committee Meetings

2. What agenda points should be raised and who will raise them?

Challenges in Safety Committee Meetings

3. Why do most Safety Committee meetings not work? What are the missing ingredients?

I am in search of brilliant ideas about Safety Committee meetings from safety experts. Obviously, all of you.

Nice to see you back after a long time. Why can't you refine your questions after going through the following earlier threads on CiteHR itself:

- [Safety Committee Meeting MOM](https://www.citehr.com/262560-safety-committee-meeting-mom.html#post1174656)
- [Safety Committee Meetings Agenda Format](https://www.citehr.com/284053-safety-committ-meetings-agenda-format.html#post1281668)
- [S Comm Sustainable Development](https://www.citehr.com/281516-s-comm-sustainable-development.html#post1276281)

I request you to use the RESEARCH option available at the top before starting any new threads.

All the best.

Thanks for your kind information. I agree with you, and I checked previous discussions before starting this interesting topic. But before that, I just want to explain a little bit about this discussion.

Let me correct if I am wrong. My purpose for this discussion was to get excellent ideas about the Safety Committee meeting from safety experts. We know that SCM is the best procedure, and I can say a weapon for safety professionals. Everyone is ready to blame the Safety person for an easy escape if anything goes wrong. I am sure we will get some excellent results after the completion of this discussion.

In SCM, we are raising issues related to QHSE, but up to which level are we achieving our targets and goals in a real manner? What are the lacking areas that become the reason for failure, and why is rediscussion required? We must be updated all the time as we don't know who may get the best ideas during this time.

To be honest, are our committee members really actively participating in SCM with solutions, or do they think SCM is a waste of time and just attend, have some snacks, and make MOM? Someone should come up with excellent ideas that our members and organization love to organize SCM for achieving goals and targets in a real way.

I know that Cite HR is a platform where anyone can clear their doubts without any hesitation. Still, I am requesting that there must be some more discussion and debate on SCM.

Thanks to all.

Safety Provisions Under the Factories Act, 1948

Sec. 21 to 41 of the Factories Act, 1948, explains the safety provisions that organizations must adhere to. Regarding the formation of the Safety Committee, the Act explains under Sec. 41-G: "The occupier shall, in every factory where a hazardous process (as explained under Sec. 2cb) takes place or where hazardous substances are used or handled, set up a Safety Committee consisting of an equal number of representatives of workers and management to promote cooperation between the workers and the management in maintaining proper safety and health at work and to review measures taken in that behalf."

As we know, every plant requires manpower, tools, and machinery to operate. Even though it is not mandatory for every factory to form Safety Committees, it is in the interest of the organization and the employees to form such committees to maintain health and safety conditions and overall morale of the employees. It should be the moral responsibility of the employer to provide a safe and accident-free environment in the organization.

Safety Meeting Agenda and Points

Regarding the safety meeting agenda and points, all points that affect the safety and health of the employees may be discussed. Any member may raise a point or give his/her idea in the meeting. The following are some of the points, but not limited to:

1. Increase safety awareness
2. Build enthusiasm for safety programs
3. Reduce and prevent injuries
4. Regulatory compliance
5. Emergency planning
6. Training
7. Ergonomics
8. Safety surveys
9. Job hazard analysis
10. Accident investigation reviews
11. Employee safety promotion
12. Reduce accidents and lost work time
13. Positively impact a safety program
14. Touch all levels of the organization
15. Liaison between safety agencies
16. Promote staff involvement at all levels
17. Create a safer work environment
18. Increase productivity
19. Improve communication
20. Increase safety awareness
21. Enhance employee morale

Challenges in Achieving Safety Goals

In spite of our best efforts, we have experienced that we may not achieve the intended results. The following may be some hindering points:

1. Lack of support from the top management
2. Wrong selection of committee members
3. Lack of leadership to hold safety meetings
4. Lack of teamwork
5. Lack of proper follow-up due to financial and non-financial resources
6. Lack of focus on specific issues
7. Non-rotation of the members
8. Change of management priorities
9. Any other reason

The members must voluntarily participate in the committees for the noble cause. The top management must also support the employees to hold the safety meetings and achieve the desired results through financial and non-financial support systems.

Regards,
RB