Workplace safety committees: New York State DOL to host public hearing on proposed rule

Albany, NY — The New York State Department of Labor has scheduled a virtual public hearing on a proposed rule that would establish rules and regulations for workplace safety committees.

According to a notice published in the Dec. 22 New York State Register, the hearing is set for 11 a.m. Eastern on Feb. 9. The proposal would be adopted under Section 27-D of the labor law in the New York Health and Essential Rights Act (NY HERO Act), which permits employees to form workplace health and safety committees to work with employers on related issues. The act was signed into law May 5, 2021.

“The proposed rule provides that committees can request recognition to be established by two nonsupervisory employees” and “requires that employers respond to requests with ‘reasonable promptness,’” the notice states. In addition, the minimum number of committee members would be set at three and the maximum at 12.

Also under the proposal, committees must be co-chaired by a nonsupervisory employee and an employer representative. It also would establish that committee meetings take place at least once a quarter during regular work hours and last no longer than two hours.

An NYSDOL spokesperson told Safety+Health that a link to the meeting will be posted on the department’s website in the near future.