Safety Committees at the Local Level

(This article appeared in the May/June 2026 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine)

Local safety committees and Joint Labor-Management Safety and Health meetings are two key tools for local APWU leaders to improve workplace conditions in postal facilities.

The Joint Labor-Management Safety and Health Committee (JLMSHC) meetings are outlined and governed by the Postal Service’s “Handbook EL-809.” These committees operate at the local, district, and area levels, providing a structured forum for collaboration between labor and management on safety issues.

Joint Labor-Management Safety and Health Committees

Joint safety committees typically meet monthly or quarterly and include representation from postal management and APWU locals. Their mission is to identify and resolve workplace hazards, promote safety awareness, review accident and injury trends, and ensure compliance with established safety policies. Some locals will work together to schedule area-level meetings, bringing more power with their numbers.

A standard meeting agenda includes reviewing prior meeting minutes, discussing accidents and near-misses, tracking hazard abatement efforts, evaluating safety inspections, and considering worker suggestions. Committees are also responsible for investigating serious incidents, recommending corrective actions, and following up to ensure that hazards are addressed.

For local unions, these committees provide a mechanism to document and address safety concerns that may later become formal grievances if left unresolved. Proactively addressing hazards helps prevent accidents and protects workers on the workroom floor.

Additionally, information gathered at the local level supports national union efforts by identifying trends and enforcing our contract. This allows the APWU’s national leadership to respond strategically to recurring issues and recognize successful safety initiatives. This helps to identify and  x major safety lapses around the country. Best practices for locals include becoming familiar with the governing handbooks, ensuring consistent participation by elected officers, and inviting representatives from different crafts to attend meetings.

Local Safety Committee

Local safety committees are committees within a local union and are typically chaired by the local president or the industrial relations director. These meetings are often held during grievance committee sessions, where representatives raise safety concerns, review ongoing issues, and discuss activities related to Article 14 Safety and Health grievances. While these committees are separate from the JLMSHC, they offer an avenue for addressing workplace hazards at the local level and identifying issues that may need to go to the next JLMSHC meeting.

Together, these two committees can build a strong safety program and help enforce safety at every level of the Postal Service. ■