Purpose and Function
To understand how a safety committee can best succeed, it is important to understand its purpose and how it functions.
Purpose Vs. Function
To do that, we must understand the subtle difference between two important concepts: "purpose" and "function".
- Purpose is the intended goal or reason for which something exists or is created. For a safety committee, the purpose defines why it was established, such as to enhance workplace safety.
- Function refers to the specific actions or activities a system or group is designed to perform. A safety committee’s functions are the tasks it undertakes to achieve its purpose, such as conducting inspections or training employees. The committee’s success depends on how effectively its functions are designed and performed. Poor performance may prevent it from reaching its goals, even with good intentions.
Examples of functions include the following activities:
- Conduct regular safety committee meetings
- Conduct safety committee training sessions
- Review incident and near-miss reports
- Conduct workplace safety inspections
- Gather employee input and concerns
- Analyze safety data and trends
- Develop and present safety recommendations to management
Bottom line: Clearly define your safety committee's purpose. Design effective functions to achieve intended goals. Perform them well — and your safety committee will make a real impact.
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2-2. What is an important function of a safety committee?
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