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Safety Meeting Requirements

In the United States, many companies are now required to host regular safety meetings for management staff and employees by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These meetings are to help keep employees abreast of any safety requirement changes that could affect their job as well as to address any safety issues or concerns that staff may have. A required safety meeting could take place between management and the entire staff of a company or just between management and an assigned safety committee.

  1. Minutes

    • Though many employers are not required to keep minutes of safety meetings, it is still a good idea to do so. This allows the company to easily report to OSHA the contents and frequency of safety meetings in detail as well as to elaborate on any discussions between management and staff concerning workplace safety. Minutes may be required of smaller companies or companies that are in industrial fields for reporting to OSHA or their insurance company.

    Accidents

    • Employers must address any workplace accidents that have taken place between the current and previous safety meetings. The employer must address the accident, as well as the cause of the accident and how the situation was handled by the company. This type of discussion helps the employees to understand what has occurred and how management has responded to the situation to make sure that no one else is injured. It also gives employees a chance to ask questions concerning the accident in a public forum.

    Changes to Safety Program

    • Employers should discuss any changes that are being put into effect concerning safety rules or safety procedures in the workplace. This is to make sure that all members of staff are promptly notified of the changes before they go into effect. A discussion about the any changes to safety programs or rules also allows employees to ask questions and learn how the changes will affect them directly.

    Safety Concerns

    • Holding regular safety meetings gives employees a chance to voice safety concerns. There should be a question and answer session with management where employees can ask questions about the safety programs in the workplace or voice any concerns about things that they feel endanger their health or well-being while in the workplace. This is also a good time for management to learn of any health or safety hazards in the workplace that they may not be aware of and to come up with a plan to correct the hazard.

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