7 Critical Safety Committee Meeting Topics to Reduce Risk

To ensure workplace safety and mitigate risk, add these 7 important safety topics to your safety committee meeting agendas. 

1. Incident Analysis and Prevention

Safety incidents are a critical consideration for any safety committee. An incident is an event where an employee is injured, harmed, or put in a near-miss situation. These incidents should be analyzed for possible causes and opportunities for prevention.

A common example is a slip-and-fall injury in an icy parking lot in the winter. The safety committee may determine that de-icer application should be completed at specific times of day to minimize risk.

For each safety incident, the committee will analyze the situation and devise a prevention plan, or improve on the prevention plan already in place. 

2. Safety Training and Education

The safest workforce is an educated workforce. The safety committee is in charge of ensuring employees are properly trained and educated on how to remain safe while performing their work tasks. The committee will need to source training materials or programs and propose training times for each team to complete both initial and refresher safety training.

When new routines, workplaces, or equipment is introduced to employees, the safety committee may also take over ensuring they receive full and complete training on safely navigating the new environment

3. Safety Inspections and Equipment Maintenance

Even the best equipment cannot stay perfect forever, and flawed or unmaintained equipment can become unsafe. This is why the safety committee is responsible for scheduling routine inspections and maintenance of all equipment throughout the business.

As a safety committee meeting topic, members will discuss the correct routine for inspections along with the timing and budget for equipment maintenance to minimize interruptions and optimize safety.

4. Safe Design and Facility Maintenance

Safety committees often address the importance of facility design and maintenance in terms of employee safety. Facilities play as important, and sometimes an even more important, role in safety compared to equipment. A safe and well-designed work environment can drastically reduce the risk of injuries and other safety incidents.

Proper maintenance of elements like handrails and the installation of ergonomic and accessible facility features can make a profound difference in day-to-day safety levels.

5. Safe Procedures and Policies

Safety policies and procedures help employees to maintain a safe routine and to address safety incidents correctly when they occur. It is up to the safety committee to build these policies, such as reporting a workplace injury immediately no matter how small or mandating that every employee must use proper form and aids when lifting heavy boxes.

6. Safety Communication

Once safety policies and plans are set, communication is key. Safety communication allows the committee to convey safe routines, policies, and maintenance schedules to the entire company and to specific teams.

Communication methods should be discussed and implemented. Some examples include email notifications, posted announcements, team-level safety meetings, and scheduling new training sessions to ensure employees are fully informed of safety policies, best practices, and new initiatives.

7. Compliance with Regulations and Standards

Lastly, a safety committee must always be concerned with compliance and regulations. Safety regulations are issued by both national organizations like OSHA and industry-specific authorities that may have sway over the company’s certifications and authorization to work in a particular field. The committee will work together to ensure the company remains aligned with all regulatory and compliance demands, which can also act as guideposts for safety best practices.