Section 296-800-13020. Establish and conduct safety committees.

You must:

(1) Establish a safety committee.

• Make sure your committee:

– Has employee-elected and employer-selected members.

♦ The number of employee-elected members must equal or exceed the number of employer-selected members.

Note:	Employees selected by the employees bargaining representative or union qualify as employee-elected.

♦ The term of employee-elected members must be a maximum of one year. (There is no limit to the number of terms a representative can serve.)

♦ If there is an employee-elected member vacancy, a new member must be elected prior to the next scheduled meeting.

– Has an elected chairperson.

– Determines how often, when, and where, the safety committee will meet.

Note:	• Meetings should be one hour or less, unless extended by a majority vote of the committee.
	• If the committee cannot agree on the frequency of meetings, the department of labor and industries regional safety consultation representative should be consulted for recommendations. (See the resources section of this book for contacts.)

You must:

(2) Cover these topics:

• Review safety and health inspection reports to help correct safety hazards.

• Evaluate the accident investigations conducted since the last meeting to determine if the cause(s) of the unsafe situation was identified and corrected.

• Evaluate your workplace accident and illness prevention program and discuss recommendations for improvement, if needed.

• Document attendance.

• Write down subjects discussed.

(3) Record meetings.

• Prepare minutes from each safety committee and:

– Preserve them for one year.

– Make them available for review by safety and health consultation personnel of the department of labor and industries.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. WSR 02-16-047, § 296-800-13020, filed 8/1/02, effective 10/1/02.]

RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. WSR 02-16-047, § 296-800-13020, filed 8/1/02, effective 10/1/02.