Rule 15. Safety Committee and Safety Officers under Section 22

(1) Every establishment employing 250 or more workers shall constitute a Safety Committee under sub-section (1) of Section 22 consisting of equal number representatives of employers and workers.

(2) The tenure of the members of the Safety Committee shall be for three years. The Safety Committee shall meet at least once in every quarter.

(3) The representative of the workers shall be chosen by the registered Trade Union. In case where there is no registered Trade Union the members may be chosen by the workers of the establishment.

Provided that there shall be adequate representation of the women workers in the Committee.

(4) Safety Committee shall have the right to be adequately and suitably informed of potential safety and health hazards to which the workers may be exposed at workplace, data on accidents as well as data resulting from surveillance of the working environment and of the health of employees, conducted at such establishments.

(5) The owner, employer, occupier, agent or manager shall, within a period of 15 days from the date of receipt of the recommendations of the Safety Committee shall take action to implement the recommendations.

(6) Composition of Safety Committee:

(a) The representatives of the management on Safety Committee, shall consist of–

(i) A senior official, who by his position in the organization can contribute effectively to the functioning of the Committee, shall be the Chairperson;

(ii) A Safety Officer and Medical Officer wherever available and the Safety Officer in such a case shall be the Secretary of the Committee and

(iii) A representative each from the production, maintenance and purchase departments.

(b) The worker’s representatives on the Safety Committee shall be chosen by the workers.

(c) The minutes of the meeting of the Safety Committee shall be recorded by the Secretary of Committee.

(7) Functions and duties of the Safety Committee shall include –

(a) Assisting and co-operating with the management in achieving the aims and objectives outlined in the Safety and Health Policy;

(b) Dealing with all matters concerning health, safety and environment and to arrive at practicable solutions to the problems encountered;

(c) Creating safety awareness amongst all workers;

(d) Undertaking educational, training and promotional activities;

(e) Discussing reports on safety, environmental and occupational health surveys, safety audits, risk assessment, emergency and disaster management plans and implementation of the recommendations made in the reports;

(f) Looking into the matters likely to cause danger to the safety and health of the workers and suggest corrective measures; and

(g) Reviewing the implementation of the recommendations made by it.