WAC 296-800-130   Safety committees/safety meetings -- Summary.       Important:

     This rule requires you to have a method of communicating and evaluating safety and health issues brought up by you or your employees in your workplace. Larger employers must establish a safety committee. Smaller employers have the choice of either establishing a safety committee or holding safety meetings with a management representative present.

     There is a difference between a safety committee and a safety meeting.

     • A safety committee is an organizational structure where members represent a group. This gives everyone a voice but keeps the meeting size to an effective number of participants.

     • A safety meeting includes all employees and a management person is there to ensure that issues are addressed. Typically, the safety committee is an effective safety management tool for a larger employer and safety meetings are more effective for a smaller employer.

     Your responsibility:

     To establish a safety committee or hold safety meetings to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace for all employees.

     You must:

     Establish and conduct safety committees.

     WAC 296-800-13020.

     Follow these rules to conduct safety meetings.

     WAC 296-800-13025.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and[49.17].050 . 02-16-047, § 296-800-130, filed 8/1/02, effective 10/1/02; 01-11-038, § 296-800-130, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01.]