Occupational Health and Safety Committees are formed for the purpose of providing guidance within the workplace for employers and employees in matters relating to the rights and responsibilities of the employers and employees.

The various state legislation’s guide the workplace as to the requirements of these committees, and outline their purpose. Generally speaking their purpose is to:

• Identify health and safety issues in the workplace and ensure that a safe environment is provided and maintained
• Revise systems and environments within the workplace, relating to Occupational Health and Safety
• Advise employers of poor safety practices and unsafe working conditions
• Investigate unsafe practices, working conditions, accidents and incidents resulting from unsafe conditions
• Resolve identified unsafe conditions in conjunction with Workcover
• Develop and monitor an accident/hazard reporting system
• Closely investigate that the correct use and maintenance of safety equipment is carried out
• Ensure that the replacement of safety equipment is made – when it is found that it must be replaced
• Make recommendations to the employer to manage and provide safety for the employees

In addition to this - the committees have a certain amount of power, which has some limitations.