Importance and Formation of Recycling Safety Committees, Part 2

In part one of this two-part blog, we reviewed the basics and functions of a safety committee within a recycling business. Such a committee is vital, not only for overall safety but also for the engagement and retention of happy, involved employees who know they’re valued.

At Leadpoint, our MRF safety training and operations services include assisting your company with the formation and proper establishment of a safety committee that meets each of these areas. Once you’ve determined the proper size for the committee and begun the process of recruiting team members for it, here are some additional steps to consider as you implement the committee and allow it to perform its company-wide functions.

Leadership and Committee Definitions

Like any team within the workplace, your safety committee requires proper leadership and direction. Here are some tactics to consider in this area:

• Selecting leaders: The person or people leading the safety committee should have a vast knowledge of all safety areas within the company, plus the communication skills to interact with and transmit information across the company, from management to employees.
• Functions and goals: All committee members should understand their function within the group, and should be trained to perform these functions.

Safety Committee Meeting Formats and Frequency

Once the leadership and general function of the committee is established, it’s time to set up standards for team meetings. Some areas to consider are:

• Meeting frequency. Establish a regular schedule for safety committee meetings, but also be flexible in this area. Monthly meetings are a good place to start, but you may determine that either more or less frequency is the way to go. Some companies may require weekly meetings, while others may only require quarterly.
• Wherever possible, schedule meetings on the same time or date for each month, week, or quarter. Use the company’s network calendar to remind everyone of upcoming meetings.
• Agenda and minutes. Establish a general format for meetings, including an agenda, minutes and action items.
• Assignments and dates. During meetings, assign tasks and target dates to various members, plus review the status of previous projects or assignments.

Proper Committee Communication

Finally, it’s critical to give your safety committee access to proper communication channels – not only with each other, but with the rest of the company as well. Provide information on safety committee members that everyone can access, plus a format for collecting employee suggestions or concerns that can be raised during committee meetings. Post committee meeting minutes publicly so the entire company has access to them. Keep things confidential in any situation where specific employees or inquiries are being discussed, while ensuring proper documentation is in place for any action or recommendation made by the committee.

For more on the establishment and function of a safety committee for your recycling business, or to learn about any of our recycling industry workforce or training services, speak to the staff at Leadpoint today.