Occupational Safety and Health Committees

29 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart F
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

29 C.F.R. § 1960.36 General provisions.

(a) The occupational safety and health committees described in this subpart are organized and maintained basically to monitor and assist an agency's safety and health program. These committees assist agencies to maintain an open channel of communication between employees and management concerning safety and health matters in agency workplaces. The committees provide a method by which employees can utilize their knowledge of workplace operations to assist agency management to improve policies, conditions, and practices. (b) Agencies may elect to establish safety and health committees meeting the minimum requirements contained in this subpart. Where such committees are not established or fail to meet the minimum requirements established by the Secretary, the Secretary is authorized by section 1-401(i) of Executive Order 12196 to conduct unannounced inspections of agency workplaces when the Secretary determines them necessary.

29 C.F.R. § 1960.37 Committee organization.

(a) For agencies which elect to utilize the committee concept, safety and health committees shall be formed at both the national level and, for agencies with field or regional offices, at appropriate levels within the agency. To realize exemption from unannounced OSHA inspections, an agency must form a committee at the national level and at any establishment or grouping of establishments that is to be exempt, keeping the Secretary advised of the locations and activities where such committees are functioning. (1) The principal function of the national level committee shall be to consult and provide policy advice on, and monitor the performance of, the agency-wide safety and health program. (2) Committees at other appropriate levels shall be established at agency establishments or groupings of establishments consistent with the mission, size and organization of the agency and its collective bargaining configuration. The agency shall form committees at the lowest practicable local level. The principal function of the establishment (or local) committees is to monitor and assist in the execution of the agency's safety and health policies and program at the workplaces within their jurisdiction. Any dispute over the meaning of the term “appropriate levels” shall be resolved by the Secretary. (b) Committees shall have equal representation of management and nonmanagement employees, who shall be members of record. (1) Management members of both national level and establishment level committees shall be appointed in writing by the person empowered to make such appointments. (2) Nonmanagement members of establishment level committees shall represent all employees of the establishment and shall be determined according to the following rules: (i) Where employees are represented under collective bargaining arrangements, members shall be appointed from among those recommended by the exclusive bargaining representative; (ii) Where employees are not represented under collective bargaining arrangements, members shall be determined through procedures devised by the agency which provide for effective representation of all employees; and (iii) Where some employees of an establishment are covered under collective bargaining arrangements and others are not, members shall be representative of both groups. (3) Nonmanagement members of national level committees shall be determined according to the following rules: (i) Where employees are represented by organizations having exclusive recognition on an agency basis or by organizations having national consultation rights, some members shall be determined in accordance with the terms of collective bargaining agreements and some members shall be selected from those organizations having consultation rights, and (ii) Where employees are not represented by organizations meeting the criteria of paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section, members shall be determined through procedures devised by the agency which provide for effective representation of all employees. (c) Committee members should serve overlapping terms. Such terms should be of at least two years duration, except when the committee is initially organized. (d) The committee chairperson shall be nominated from among the committee's members and shall be elected by the committee members. Management and nonmanagement members should alternate in this position. Maximum service time as chairperson should be two consecutive years. (e) Committees shall establish a regular schedule of meetings and special meetings shall be held as necessary; establishment level committees shall meet at least quarterly and national committees shall meet at least annually. (f) Adequate advance notice of committee meetings shall be furnished to employees and each meeting shall be conducted pursuant to a prepared agenda. (g) Written minutes of each committee meeting shall be maintained and distributed to each committee member, and upon request, shall be made available to employees and to the Secretary.

29 C.F.R. § 1960.38 Committee formation.

(a) Upon forming such committees, heads of agencies shall submit information to the Secretary concerning the existence, location, and coverage, in terms of establishments and population, of such committees, certifying to the Secretary that such committees meet the requirements of this subpart. The information submitted should include the name and telephone numbers of the chairperson of each committee, and should be updated annually as part of the annual report required by § 1960.74 to reflect any changes that may have occurred. (b) If, upon evaluation, the Secretary determines that the operations of a committee do not meet the requirements of this subpart, the Secretary shall notify the agency and identify the deficiencies to be remedied. If the agency does not satisfy the Secretary within 90 days that the committee meets the requirements of this subpart, the committee shall not be deemed a committee under Executive Order 12196 and this part.

29 C.F.R. § 1960.39 Agency responsibilities.

(a) Agencies shall make available to committees all agency information relevant and necessary to their duties, except where prohibited by law. Examples of such information include, but are not limited to: The agency's safety and health policies and program; human and financial resources available to implement the program; accident, injury, and illness data; epidemiological data; employee exposure monitoring data; Material Safety Data Sheets; inspection reports; reprisal investigation reports; abatement plans; NIOSH hazard evaluation reports; and internal and external evaluation reports. (b) Agencies shall provide all committee members appropriate training as required by subpart H of this part.

29 C.F.R. § 1960.40 Establishment committee duties.

(a) The safety and health committee is an integral part of the safety and health program, and helps ensure effective implementation of the program at the establishment level. (b) An establishment committee formed under this subpart shall, except where prohibited by law: (1) Monitor and assist the safety and health program at establishments under its jurisdiction and make recommendations to the official in charge on the operation of the program; (2) Monitor findings and reports of workplace inspections to confirm that appropriate corrective measures are implemented; (3) When requested by the agency Safety and Health Official, or when the committee deems it necessary for effective monitoring of agency establishment inspection procedures, participate in inspections of the establishment; (4) Review internal and external evaluation reports and make recommendations concerning the establishment safety and health program; (5) Review, and recommend changes, as appropriate, to procedures for handling safety and health suggestions and recommendations from employees; (6) When requested by the Designated Agency Safety and Health Official, or when the committee deems it necessary, comment on standards proposed pursuant to the provisions of subpart C of this part; (7) Monitor and recommend changes, as required, in the level of resources allocated and spent on the establishment safety and health program; (8) Review agency responses to reports of hazardous conditions, safety and health program deficiencies, and allegations of reprisal; (9) Report their dissatisfaction to the Secretary if half a committee determines there are deficiencies in the establishment's safety and health program or is not satisfied with the agency's reports of reprisal investigations; and (10) Request the Secretary to conduct an evaluation or inspection if half the members of record are not satisfied with an agency's response to a report of hazardous working conditions.

29 C.F.R. § 1960.41 National committee duties.

National committees established under this subpart shall, except where prohibited by law: (a) Monitor performance of the agency safety and health program and make policy recommendations to the head of the agency on the operation of the program; (b) Monitor and assist in the development and operation of the agency's establishment committees. As the committee deems appropriate, monitor and review: Reports of inspections; internal and external evaluation reports; agency safety and health training programs; proposed agency standards; agency plans for abating hazards; and responses to reports of hazardous conditions; safety and health program deficiencies; and allegations of reprisal; (c) Monitor and recommend changes in the resources allocated to the entire agency safety and health program; (d) Report their dissatisfaction to the Secretary if half a committee determines there are deficiencies in the agency's safety and health program or is not satisfied with the agency's reports of reprisal investigations; and (e) Request the Secretary to conduct an evaluation or inspection if half the members of record are not satisfied with an agency's response to a report of hazardous working conditions.

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