Health and safety committees provide a forum for consulting on health and safety management across the workplace. They allow businesses to work together with workers on health and safety matters.

Establishing a committee

A health and safety committee can be established on the initiative of the PCBU or at the request of a health and safety representative (HSR), or five or more workers. The PCBU must establish a committee within two months of receiving the request.

Committee membership

The membership of a committee should be agreed between a PCBU and workers subject to the following;

• At least half of the members must be workers who have not been nominated by the PCBU
• PCBU representatives should be people who are senior enough to make decisions about safety
• HSRs are automatically members of the committee, unless they don’t want to be. If there is more than one HSR, they can decide who will be on the committee

Committee functions

The main functions of the health and safety committee are to:

• facilitate cooperation between the PCBU and workers in developing and carrying out measures to improve the safety and health of workers
• help develop health and safety standards, rules and procedures
• any other health and safety matters agreed between the PCBU and committee members

Committee meetings

The health and safety committee must meet at least once every three months, or at any other time when at least half of the committee members make a request.

Further information

• Code of practice - Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination
• Worker Representation and Participation Guide