OAR 437-001-0765
Safety Committees and Safety Meetings.


This rule requires employers to establish and administer a safety committee, or to hold safety meetings, to communicate and evaluate safety and health issues. Purpose: The purpose of safety committees and safety meetings is to bring workers and management together in a non-adversarial, cooperative effort to promote safety and health. Safety committees and safety meetings will assist you in making continuous improvement to your safety and health programs. Scope: This rule applies to public or private employers in Oregon subject to Oregon OSHA jurisdiction, except as listed below. You do not have to comply with this rule if you are: The sole owner and only employee of a corporation; A member of a board or commission and do not participate in the day-to-day activities of the company. You are not considered an employee for purposes of this rule. Engaged in agricultural activities covered by Division 4, Subdivision C. Engaged in forest activities covered by Division 7, Subdivisions B and C. Division 2, Subdivision L OAR 437-002-0182 (Oregon Rules for Fire Fighters)(7) requires employers engaged in fire service activities to establish a separate fire service safety committee or opt for safety meetings if they meet the criteria in the following table. You can choose a committee or meetings.

(1)

You must establish and administer an effective safety committee or hold effective safety meetings as defined by these rules: Table 1 (attached). Safety Committees

(2)

If you have 20 or fewer employees you must have at least 2 members. If you have more than 20 employees you must have at least 4 members.

(3)

You must have an equal number of employer-selected members and employee-elected or volunteer members. If both parties agree, the committee may have more employee-elected or volunteer members.

(4)

Your safety committee members must: Have a majority agree on a chairperson. Serve a minimum of one year, when possible. Be compensated at their regular rate of pay. Have training in the principles of accident and incident investigations for use in evaluating those events. Have training in hazard identification. Be provided with meeting minutes. Represent major activities of your business.

(5)

Your safety committee must meet on company time as follows: Quarterly in situations where employees do mostly office work. Monthly for all other situations (except the months when quarterly worksite inspections are performed). (6) You must keep written records of each safety committee meeting for three years that include: Names of attendees. Meeting date. All safety and health issues discussed, including tools, equipment, work environment, and work practice hazards. Recommendations for corrective action and a reasonable date by which management agrees to respond. Person responsible for follow up on any recommended corrective actions. All reports, evaluations, and recommendations made by the committee.

(7)

Your safety committee must establish procedures for conducting workplace safety and health inspections. Persons trained in hazard identification must conduct inspections as follows: Table 2 (attached).

(8)

In addition to the above requirements, your safety committee must: Work with management to establish, amend, or adopt accident investigation procedures that will identify and correct hazards. Have a system that allows employees an opportunity to report hazards and safety and health related suggestions. Establish procedures for reviewing inspection reports and for making recommendations to management. Evaluate all accident and incident investigations and make recommendations for ways to prevent similar events from occurring. Make safety committee meeting minutes available for all employees to review. Evaluate management’s accountability system for safety and health, and recommend improvements. Examples include use of incentives, discipline, and evaluating success in controlling safety and health hazards.

(9)

If you have multiple locations, you may choose to have a centralized safety committee. A centralized safety committee must represent the safety and health concerns of all locations and meet the requirements for safety committees. If you rely on a centralized committee, you must also have a written safety and health policy that: Represents management commitment to the committee. Requires and describes effective employee involvement. Describes how the company will hold employees and managers accountable for safety and health. Explains specific methods for identifying and correcting safety and health hazards at each location. Includes an annual written comprehensive review of the committees’ activities to determine effectiveness. Safety Meetings

(10)

Safety meetings must: Include all available employees. Include at least one employer representative authorized to ensure correction of safety and health issues. Be held on company time and attendees paid at their regular rate of pay.

(11)

Hold safety meetings with the following frequency if: Table 3 (attached).

(12)

Safety meetings must include discussions of: Safety and health issues. Accident investigations, causes, and the suggested corrective measures.

(13)

Employers in construction, utility work, and manufacturing must document, make available to all employees, and keep for three years a written record of each meeting that includes the following: Hazards related to tools, equipment, work environment, and unsafe work practices identified and discussed during the meeting. The date of the meeting. The names of those attending the meeting. All other employers do not need to keep these records if all employees attend the safety meeting.

(14)

If you are a subcontractor on a multi-employer worksite, to meet the intent of (11) through (13), your employees may attend the prime contractor’s safety meetings. You may keep the minutes from these meetings as a part of your records to meet the intent of (13). If you choose this option, you must still meet to discuss accidents involving your employees.

(15)

Innovation. After you apply, Oregon OSHA may grant approval for safety committees or safety meetings that differ from the rule requirements yet meet the intent of these rules.

(16)

Effective Dates. The effective date for compliance with this rule is January 1, 2009. For employers with 10 or fewer employees, other than those in construction, the effective date is September 19, 2009.
[ED. NOTE: To view attachments referenced in rule text, click here to view rule.]

Source: Rule 437-001-0765 — Safety Committees and Safety Meetings., https://secure.­sos.­state.­or.­us/oard/view.­action?ruleNumber=437-001-0765.

437‑001‑0001
Model Rules of Procedure
437‑001‑0002
Notice to Interested Persons of Rulemaking
437‑001‑0005
Authority and Applicability of Rules
437‑001‑0010
Purpose and Scope of Rules
437‑001‑0015
Definitions
437‑001‑0020
Authority to Administer
437‑001‑0025
Liberal Construction
437‑001‑0030
Use of Gender and Number
437‑001‑0035
Occupational Safety and Health Rules
437‑001‑0045
Adoption, Amendment, or Repeal of Rules
437‑001‑0047
Voluntary Compliance Program, General
437‑001‑0050
Enforcement Program, General
437‑001‑0053
Preserving Physical Evidence at the Scene of an Accident
437‑001‑0055
Priority of Inspections
437‑001‑0057
Scheduling Inspections
437‑001‑0060
Advance Notice
437‑001‑0065
Right of Entry
437‑001‑0070
Inspection Warrants
437‑001‑0075
Opening Conference
437‑001‑0080
Inspection Without Employer or Employer Representative
437‑001‑0085
Employee Representation on Inspection Team
437‑001‑0090
Inspection Procedures
437‑001‑0096
Red Warning Notice
437‑001‑0099
Closing Conference
437‑001‑0135
Evaluation of Probability to Establish Penalties
437‑001‑0140
Evaluation of Severity to Establish Penalties
437‑001‑0145
Penalty for Other than Serious or Serious Violation
437‑001‑0155
Determination of Penalty — Failure to Correct
437‑001‑0160
Penalty Criteria — Repeat Violation
437‑001‑0165
Determination of Penalty — Repeat Violation
437‑001‑0170
Determination of Penalty — Failure to Report an Occupational Fatality, Catastrophe, or Accident
437‑001‑0171
Determination of Penalty — Failure to Register a Farm Labor Camp/Facility
437‑001‑0175
Determination of Penalty — Willful or Egregious Violation
437‑001‑0176
Determination of Penalty — Failure to Notify Employees of Advance Notice
437‑001‑0180
Determination of Penalty — Relating to Red Warning Notice
437‑001‑0201
Determination of Penalty — Relating to Field Sanitation
437‑001‑0203
Determination of Penalty — Relating to Violations Which Have No Probability and Severity.
437‑001‑0205
Citation and Notice of Penalty
437‑001‑0215
Employer Response to Citation and Notice of Penalty
437‑001‑0220
Payment of Penalties
437‑001‑0225
Penalty for Falsification
437‑001‑0230
Correction of Violation
437‑001‑0231
Abatement Verification
437‑001‑0235
Failure to Correct Violation
437‑001‑0240
Extension of Correction Date — Application
437‑001‑0245
Extension of Correction Date — Decision
437‑001‑0250
Extension of Correction Date — Revocation
437‑001‑0251
Extension of Correction Date — Hearing on the Application
437‑001‑0255
Requesting an Appeal and an Informal Conference
437‑001‑0265
Amendment, Reissue or Withdrawal of Citation
437‑001‑0270
Discretion To Prevent a Manifest Injustice
437‑001‑0275
Posting Requirements
437‑001‑0280
Posting on Selected Multi-Employer Jobsites
437‑001‑0285
Form and Content of a Complaint
437‑001‑0290
Division Action on Complaints
437‑001‑0295
Discrimination Complaint
437‑001‑0400
Application for a Variance
437‑001‑0405
Interim Order Relating to a Variance
437‑001‑0410
Administrative Action on Variance Application
437‑001‑0411
Hearings for Variance Applications
437‑001‑0415
Criteria for Variance Approval
437‑001‑0420
Decision on Variance Request
437‑001‑0425
Employer’s Duty to Meet Variance Terms
437‑001‑0430
Modification or Revocation of a Variance
437‑001‑0435
Effect of a Variance Granted by the U.S. Secretary of Labor
437‑001‑0450
Voluntary Compliance Consultative Services
437‑001‑0455
Application for Consultative Services
437‑001‑0460
Consultation
437‑001‑0700
Recording Workplace Injuries and Illnesses
437‑001‑0704
Reporting Fatalities, Catastrophes, Injuries and Illnesses to Oregon OSHA
437‑001‑0706
Recordkeeping for Health Care Assaults
437‑001‑0740
Falsification or Failure to Keep and Post Records or Make Reports
437‑001‑0742
Recordkeeping Variances and Exceptions
437‑001‑0744
Rule Addressing COVID-19 Workplace Risks
437‑001‑0760
Rules for All Workplaces
437‑001‑0765
Safety Committees and Safety Meetings.
437‑001‑0800
Application Procedures
437‑001‑0805
Application Review
437‑001‑0810
Grant Awards
437‑001‑0830
Authority for Rules
437‑001‑0835
Purpose of Rules
437‑001‑0840
Applicability of Rules
437‑001‑0845
Definitions
437‑001‑0850
Administration of Rules
437‑001‑0855
Assistance Available under the Worksite Redesign Program
437‑001‑0860
Eligibility for Worksite Redesign Assistance
437‑001‑0865
Procedure to Use the Worksite Redesign Program
437‑001‑0870
Application Review
437‑001‑0875
Grant Awards
437‑001‑0880
Program Evaluation
437‑001‑0885
Audits
437‑001‑0890
Sanctions
437‑001‑0895
Issuance/Service of Sanction Orders
437‑001‑1005
Authority and Applicability of Rules
437‑001‑1010
Purpose and Scope
437‑001‑1015
Definitions
437‑001‑1020
General Requirements
437‑001‑1025
Notification of Services
437‑001‑1030
Requests for Services
437‑001‑1035
Loss Prevention Services
437‑001‑1040
Required Loss Prevention Services
437‑001‑1050
Self-Insured and Group Self-Insured Employer Loss Prevention Assistance
437‑001‑1055
Self-Insured and Group Self-Insured Employer Loss Prevention Programs
437‑001‑1060
Self-Insured and Group Self-Insured Employer Loss Prevention Effort
437‑001‑1065
Penalty Provisions for Insurers
Last Updated

Jun. 8, 2021

Rule 437-001-0765’s source at or​.us