Safety Committees: Understanding the Requirements for Cities

Guest post by Julie Jelen, senior loss control consultant

Is your city required to have a safety committee?

Over the years, we’ve received many questions from cities about whether they are required to have a safety committee. The confusion is understandable. In 2023, OSHA updated the statute that outlines these requirements, and many municipalities are unsure how the rule applies to them.

To help bring clarity, we’ve created a Safety Committees for Cities webpage on our site. We’ll also be offering a dedicated safety committee track at this year’s Spring Safety and Loss Control Workshops. These sessions will walk through the requirements, provide practical guidance, and help cities build safety committees that truly improve workplace safety.

What the Current Statute Says

 Under Minnesota Statute 182.676, Minnesota OSHA (MNOSHA) requires a joint labor-management safety committee when either of the following applies:

• The city has more than 25 employees, or
• The city has 25 or fewer employees and is required to have a Minnesota A Workplace Accident and Injury Reduction (AWAIR) Program.

Cities with 25 or fewer employees must have a safety committee if their operations fall under the industries listed in Minnesota Rules 5208.1500. These rules identify specific North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes that require an AWAIR program, and many municipalities fall within these classifications.

Why This Matters for Cities

Safety committees play an important role in helping municipalities:

• Identify workplace hazards
• Reduce injuries and workers’ compensation claims
• Improve communication between employees and management on safety issues
• Promote a culture of safety across departments

For cities that meet the statutory requirements, having a safety committee is not optional — it’s required by MNOSHA.

Learn More at Spring Loss Control Workshops

 To help cities better understand these requirements and strengthen their safety programs, our Spring Workshops will include several sessions focused on practical safety strategies.

Topics will include:

• Understanding the MNOSHA safety committee requirement
• Determining if your city is required to have one
• How to structure an effective safety committee
• Required documentation and meeting practices
• Using claim trends and patterns to drive safety improvements
• Applying Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) to help prevent injuries
• Using mock OSHA inspections to strengthen your safety program

We encourage cities to take advantage of these workshops to ensure they meet current requirements while building a safer workplace for employees. Continuing education credit is also available for those who attend. You can register online to attend one of the eight locations.

Don’t forget: 2026 Spring Loss Control Workshops are FREE for cities participating in Regional Safety Groups. Select “Regional Safety Group Member” during registration.

If you have any questions, reach out to your LMCIT loss control consultant.