California Safety Committees: What you need to know

Employers in California may elect to establish safety and health committees at their workplaces in order to meet the communication system requirements of the state's illness and injury program (8 CCR 3203).

Though establishment of such committees is not a regulatory requirement, many businesses maintain them even in states that do not require them in order to help improve their safety and health programs.  Many insurance companies offer benefit incentives or rate discounts for businesses with established safety and health committees.  Committee members develop or oversee development of safety and health programs, monitor and help implement program elements, and evaluate program progress.

Cal/OSHA requires all employers to put in place a written injury and illness prevention program (IIPP). The IIPP must include a system for communicating with employees about occupational safety and health matters, including ways to encourage employees to inform the employer of hazards at the workplace without fear of reprisal. Acceptable communication measures include meetings, training programs, posting, written communications, a system of anonymous notification by employees about hazards, labor/management safety and health committees, or any other means that ensures communication with employees.

Safety Committee option.  Employers who elect to use a labor/management safety and health committee to comply with the communication requirements of the IIPP must:

• Meet regularly, but not less than quarterly.
• Prepare and make available to employees written records of the safety and health issues discussed at the committee meetings. The ...