Posted By Keith Holden We are considering starting a Health and Safety Committee at work. I would like to provide other members of staff with information to give them a good idea of what this involves without repeating regulations or HSE guidance. Does anyone with experience of setting up and using Health and Safety Committees have any suggestions.

Posted By Ian P I sent out nomination forms to everybody for a rep from each area with the message that this was their opportunity to get involved in H&S. Where there was more than one nomination from an area the staff from it were balloted. What was expected of them had to be explained clearly to them and their line managers, who can get a bit upset if they think their staff are being poached. Its been going for a couple of years now and after a slow start is working welland I can sit back at the meetings as ex officio and let them get on with it.

Posted By Merv Newman I'll go with Ian but my safety committee has the same composition as the management committee. Chaired by the MD. I've done this on dozens of sites. Management has total responsibility for safety. No argument there I'm sure. A departmental manager should know what is going on in his/her area and should be getting information and feedback from employees and reps. Any problems which cannot be resolved at shop-floor level can be brought up in the management safety meeting and resolved by them deciding priorities and budgets. I'm deliberately not asking for a talking shop. I'm asking the decision makers to decide. I have to hand the minutes of a recent quarterly "safety committee" The union reps, who do the minutes, list the history of each request for action and related management replies. Some of them go back two or three years with the to-and-froing between union and management. Pathetic. So, for me, a safety committee is composed of senior managers, chaired by the MD and guided by the H&S person. This person brings up a subject and the appropriate manager explains it, puts their point of view and what they intend to do about it. Or have done to resolve the problem. The role of the H&S person is to offer advice, expertise, counsel. Management decides. That's what they get paid the big money for. Merv

Posted By TBC I agree with Garyh - and also believe that the MD can be allowed to attend if he/she wants or by invitation - to be decided by the committee, but not chair the proceedings.

Posted By Merv Newman Gary, I can't really argue with your first paragraph, and the rest is totally in line with what I said earlier. However, it is my manager who is directly responsible for my safety (yes, I know that I too am responsible for my safety. As I said I'm not arguing) I get paid to do my job (safely if possible) my manager gets the big money for ensuring that I CAN do my job safely. Amongst her other responsibilities Merv