Document 9Jjr2jBrmXQo3EkyjgaJ1g006

SAFETY COMMITTEES and its services are welcomed (See Chap ter 6, "Safety Training '') The work of a committee may be better accomplished in a prompt, effective, and orderly manner if a chief executive of the company serves as chairman The head of each operating unit assumes responsibility for safety work in his unit and can incor porate safety into its daily work He can plan safety just as he plans production and the daily work of his men The committee as a whole helps to (a) better inform the chief executive by pre senting him with clear outlines of objec tives and problems, (b) familiarize chosen staff members with safety affairs, (c) bring together various viewpoints for dis cussion, and (d) promote interest in and cooperation for safety among the commit tee members themselves General Organization of Safety Committees Primarily, the size of the plant deter mines the type and number of safety com mittees which will function most effectively within it, but other factors must also be considered These factors include the prog ress already made in safeguarding the plant when committee work is started, the size and relationship of the vanous depart ments or plant units, and the type of busi ness (such as manufacturing, construction, transportation, public utilities) In any case, when the committee or committees decided upon are formed, certain fundamen tals should be observed Each committee should be so made up as to have prestige Far instance, a main or governing committee should include such key executives as master mechanic and production manager A workmen's com mittee should comprise workers well known to and respected by fellow workmen The committee membership should en compass the maximum knowledge of meth ods, practices, and conditions m the plant or group represented The committee should be as small as is consistent with the above requirements A committee of three men functions more ef fectively than a committee of five Larger committees tend to produce more debate and less action In general, however, three is the smallest number for practical purposes The basic plan of a committee's struc ture and operation should be such as to assign specific duties to committee officials and members (Fig 3-2) Copies of a chart outlining the duties of a safety com mittee should be posted on bulletin boards where all employees will have a chance to study them Selection and term of office Whether safety committee members are elected or appointed is largely determined by the type of committee and by the length of time committees have existed in a plant Members of interplant and governing committees are more likely to be appointed by management Selection of qualified per sons is assured by the appointive method Also, when safety committees are first being formed, the members are usually ap pointed In some companies, a foreman is selected by the plant safety committee to serve on the workmen's safety committee, and he automatically becomes its chairman He usually serves for six months or for some other set term, after which another fore man is appointed for this work In this way, all the plant foremen, os successive chairmen of the workmen's committee, are rotated and given this experience In many plants, the foreman who serves as chair man of the workmen's safety committee is also a member of the plant safety com mittee The workmen's safety committee is usually composed of elected members, who are rotated to provide experience for all the workers The usual term of office is three to six months, the members being replaced one at a time Policies and procedures When a committee is formed, certain policies and procedures should be set forth in writing, and should cover at least 1 Scope of committee activity 2 Extent of committee authority 3 Procedure as to a) Time and place of meetings b) Frequency of meetings c) Order of business d) Records to be kept e) Attendance requirements 3-3