Q: I would like some information about selecting who should be on our health and safety committee. Is there a ratio of how many people to include from different departments, e.g. a certain number from head office and in-store, or does it depend on who is nominated?

A: It very much depends on the size and nature of your business. Small businesses may have three members on their committee, while larger businesses may have six or more members. You can also choose to have two or more separate committees, e.g. an onsite committee and an overall corporate committee.

In terms of the composition of your health and safety committee, the following applies:

• at least half of the members must be workers who are not nominated by the business;
• HSRs will usually be included on the committee. However if there are two or more HSRs, they may choose one to represent them;
• operational and health and safety technical experts should be included on the health and safety committee;
• representatives from the chain of command (e.g. supervisors) should also be included; and
• for large businesses, it is recommended that different functional areas of the business are represented.

Please note: The answer is correct at the time of publishing. Be aware that laws may change over time. Refer to Health and safety representatives and committees for current advice.