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2. Safety and Health Committees, Etc
Safety and health committees(safety committees, health committees and safety and health committees) are organizations in which representatives of both employer and employee at each workplace cooperate to study and examine issues in the field of industrial safety and health. The composition of these committees is subject to the following legal requirements



(1) Workplaces at which committees must be established
Safety committee
(a)  Workplaces employing 50 or more workers in the following industries must set up a safety committee:
Forestry, mining, construction, wood and wood processing, chemicals, iron and steel, metal products manufacturing, transport machinery manufacturing, on-road cargo transportation, port transportation, automobile servicing, machinery servicing, and cleaning.
(b)  Workplaces (excluding those in Item (a) above) employing 100 or more workers of the two groups of industry at which a general safety and health supervisor must be appointed (i.e., groups employing 100 or more and 300 or more workers, respectively).


Health committee

All workplaces employing 50 or more workers


Safety and health committee

Workplaces that require both a safety committee and a health committee may establish a safety and health committee with the functions of both committees



(2)Committee Composition
Safety committee
(a)  A general safety and health supervisor, or a person nominated by the employer from among those responsible for the overall management of the relevant workplace, who will serve as the chairman
(b) Those who are nominated by the employer from among safety supervisors.
(c)  Those who are also nominated by the employer from among workplace workers who have experience in safety matters
(d)  Half of the members, excluding the chairman, must be recommended by the labor union representing the majority of all workers (or by the representatives of the majority of all workers, if there is no labor union).


Health committee
(a)  A general safety and health supervisor or a person nominated by the employer from among those responsible for the overall management of the relevant workplace, who will serve as the chairman.
(b) Those who are nominated by the employer from among health supervisors.
(c) Those who are also nominated by the employer from among industrial physicians.
(d) Those who are also nominated by the employer from among workplace workers who have experience in health matters.
(e) The composition of members must be the same as that for the safety committee in Item1.(d).


Safety and health committee
(a)  Members nominated by the employer are the same as those in the case of Items 1. and 2..
(b) One member will be nominated to serve as the chairman



(3)Matters to be investigated and examined by the committees
(a) Basic matters to protect workers from hazards and health impairments (and matters regarding the maintenance and improvement of health)
(b) Causes of accidents and measures to prevent their recurrence
(c) Preparation of safety (and health) regulations
(d) Preparation of implementation plans for safety (and health) education
(e) Prevention of hazards (health impairments) by new machines, equipment and materials adopted
(f) (Measures based on investigations on harmful chemical substances and the results of the same)
(g)  (Measures based on working environment measurements and the results of the same)
(h) (Measures based on medical examinations and the results of the same)



(4)Committee meetings
(a) Committees meeting must be held at least once every month.
(b) Additional wages will be paid to committee members when meetings are held during overtime hours.
(c) Meeting minutes must be kept for three years.
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