The Safety Committee's Function
Function refers to the actual day-to-day activities carried out by the committee. Function relates to the actions or tasks performed, while purpose relates to the underlying reason or goal for those actions. For the committee to function effectively, these activities must be successfully executed to achieve its intended purpose.
A safety committee is assigned many important functions for which they are held responsible by the employer. These functions may include conducting safety inspections, reviewing incident reports, and recommending corrective actions and improvements to the safety management system.
Good Intentions Do Not Guarantee Good Results
It is important to understand that even if a safety committee is committed to fulfilling its intended purpose, a lack of clear vision or failure to adequately function by failing to perform its responsibilities can prevent the committee from achieving its goals.
For example, consider the saying, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." A safety committee might aim to boost interest in safety by implementing an incentive program. However, if the committee does not understand its purpose, or if its members lack the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to perform their functions, the committee could ultimately fail to create an effective program.
In such cases, a poorly performing safety committee may actually harm rather than help a safety program. This demonstrates that good intentions alone do not always lead to the best results. The ability of the safety committee to achieve its purpose is dependent on its ability to successfully perform its functions.
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1-7. What is required to ensure safety committee functions are effective?
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