Businesses have plenty of incentive to prevent accidents. In 2015, approximately 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported in private industry employers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That same year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration tallied more than 65,000 violations. It makes sense that businesses would want to reduce both injuries and fines by improving safety.
Despite the strong motivation, however, implementing safety measures isn’t always easy. Having good policies in place is a start, but if workers don’t follow these policies in their day-to-day tasks, the benefits will be lacking.
A safety committee can help workers engage with safety issues and raise awareness of risks, but not all committees are equally successful. With input from safety consultant Carl Potter and safety speaker Richard Hawk, along with guidance from the National Safety Council, Safety + Health put together an infographic highlighting seven tips for an effective safety committee.
