Co-ordinate inspections -
plan inspections if there is more than one representative, because they can then co-ordinate their inspections to avoid unnecessary duplication.
Inspect together -
it will help your relationship with the representatives if you inspect together...
Consult specialists -
if there is a safety officer or specialist advisers...
Break down tasks -
for larger workplaces, it may not be practical to conduct a formal inspection of the entire workplace in a single session...
Consult representatives -
consult employee representatives to agree the membership and size of a safety committee;
Represent all groups -
keep the total size reasonably small, but ensure all significant employee groups are represented;
Keep a balance -
make sure employee representatives are not out numbered by management representatives;
Represent employees -
consider agreeing to more employee representatives rather than equal numbers of employee and management representatives as this shows you are not dominating the committee.
Keep a single location -
ensure a committee's work is related to a single establishment not a collection of geographically different places; and
Avoid duplication -
avoid duplicating committees for the same workplace, for example to represent different levels of staff.
Think about minor incidents -
when considering accident and injuries statistics, look at minor injuries and incidents as well as reportable ones...
Communicate -
all committee members should have a personal copy of the planned meeting dates...
Keep the date -
do not postpone or cancel committee meetings unless there are exceptional circumstances...
Address strategic issues -
to be effective, health and safety committees should address strategic issues...
Agreements -
to help reach agreements on recommendations...
Disagreements -
if committee members cannot agree on solutions...
Resolve disagreements -
if there are disagreements that cannot be resolved, consider following the procedures for employment relations disputes or contact Acas for advice
