Safety committees

Work together on health and safety matters.

Functions of an HSC

The main functions of an HSC are:

  • to facilitate co-operation in instigating, developing and carrying out measures to ensure workers’ health and safety at work
  • to help develop health and safety standards, rules and procedures that are to be followed or complied with at the workplace
  • any other functions prescribed by the regulations or agreed between the PCBU and the HSC.

Establishing a committee

An HSC can be established on a PCBU’s own initiative. A PCBU must establish an HSC within two months of receiving a request by:

  • a Health and Safety Representative (HSR) for a work group of workers carrying out work at that workplace, or
  • five or more workers at that place, or
  • within the timeframe set by the regulations, if the regulations require an HSC to be established.

An HSC can also be established for workers who carry out work at one or more locations or for those who do not have a fixed place of work.

The health and safety committee templates (PDF, 226.51 KB) provide a starting point for HSRs and HSCs and can be adapted to suit specific needs.

The templates should be considered in conjunction with the information contained in Worker Representation and Participation Guide (PDF, 528.69 KB).

Committee membership

The make-up of the HSC is agreed between the PCBU and workers. A PCBU can nominate up to half the members of the HSC. The workers on an HSC should ensure genuine worker representation.

An HSR can be a member of the HSC, if they consent. If there are two or more HSRs at a workplace, then they can choose one or more who consent to be members of the HSC.

Operation of the HSC

The HSC must meet at least once every three months, and at any reasonable time requested by at least half the members of the committee.

To make the HSC effective, PCBUs must:

  • allow members of the HSC to spend the time that is reasonably necessary to attend meetings or to carry out their functions as HSC members
  • pay members at their normal rate of pay when carrying out functions as HSC members
  • give members access to information about hazards and risks at the workplace, as well as information relating to the health and safety of workers at the workplace. However, workers' personal or medical information must not be shared without their consent, unless the information is de-identified.
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