- Develop a list of persons whom you believe will be interested in helping you organize.
- Set a dale, time, and place for a planning meeting and notify interested persons well in advance. Arrange for a meeting place where sufficient time can be devoted to discussion without being disturbed.
- Order a supply of Society membership brochures (which includes application form), and samples of other Society publications for distribution.
- Start developing a list of potential members from among safety managers and others in management positions.
Suggested Agenda for Planning Meeting
- Opening remarks to include expression of appreciation for interest and attendance.
- Describe the National Safety Management Society, its organization, philosophy, and activities.
- Explain the benefits of chapter formation.
- Discuss dues and available services.
- Select an Organizational Committee.
- Elect a temporary chairman and assign responsibility to prepare bylaws.
- Decide upon the date of the next meeting.
- Develop list of other prospective members and arrange to have invitations sent. Plan for personal contact.
Assignments for Organizational Committee
In the interim before the Organizational Meeting, considerable planning and development can take place. Included would be:
- Preparation of proposed chapter bylaws.
- Consideration of possible chapter projects, activities, and programs for meetings.
- Identify duties and responsibilities of officers and committees, and outline procedures for administering affairs of the chapter.
- Drafting of petition to be submitted to the Society.
Organizational Meeting
At the first full organizational meeting items of business would include:
- Opening remarks by temporary chairman with a motivational presentation on the benefits of membership in the Society and chapter formation.
- Outline of what will be discussed and actions to be taken during meeting.
- Consideration of proposed bylaws. Discussion of each article individually. Final adoption.
- Obtain expression of interest from those in attendance. Preparation of individual membership applications. Collection of Society membership fee and annual dues.
- Nomination and election of chapter officers.
- Discussion and approval of petition.
- Discussion of future chapter activities. Announcement of next meeting.
Formation of Executive Committee
Following the close of the Organizational Meeting, the newly elected officers should meet briefly to outline plans. The President should appoint chairmen of all standing committees and any special committees deemed
advisable.
The President should plan an early Executive Committee meeting to consider implementation of chapter projects and activities. Emphasis should be placed on membership drives and chapter publicity. All chapter members should be encouraged to actively participate. Officer assignments should be made and discussed.
Chapter Meetings
General
The success of a chapter is heavily dependent upon the success of the meetings. The care and effort afforded to this activity will be well rewarded.
In general, meetings should be divided between conducting chapter business and general informative programs. Chapter business is frequently the substantial concern of a relatively few members at any particular meeting. To conduct this business before the entire membership invites irrelevant comments and discourages attendance. Program meetings are of interest to all members, if well chosen. The two types of meetings are not compatible as one program before the same group.
Business Meetings
The recommended vehicle for the conduct of chapter business is the Executive Committee. It should be composed of:
- Chapter officers
- Committee chairmen
- Immediate past chapter president
The Executive Committee should meet as often as chapter business requires, but at least quarterly. During formative stages in chapter development, executive meetings should be conducted much more frequently to assure needed liaison between officers. Summary reports of Executive Committee activities should be made to the membership on a regular basis. Well informed Society members will support chapter activities and objectives, and the prime responsibility for chapter development is vested in the Executive Committee.
Program Meetings
The subjects that will best serve the objectives of the Society are as diverse as the functions related to loss control. The most obvious choices include: training, economics, statistics, property management., treatment of data, placement, job analysis, engineering and many technical matters. The concept of advancing accident prevention through perfection of the various elements of an enterprise expands the range of germane subjects for program presentations. As managers committed to perfecting managerial systems that seek to eliminate errors, Society members will benefit from professional presentations in all management disciplines related to accidental losses.
One safety manager telling a group of other safety managers all the details of his or her program ranks among the least inspiring of all possible programs. A survey and written record of potential speakers, their subjects, and any special requirements for their presentations will serve as an excellent guide in structuring a program calendar.
Organization and Function of Executive Committee
Recommended general duties and responsibilities of chapter officers are provided below. Also included are suggestions on major committees and their functions. These are based upon the Society's Executive Committee organization and are not mandatory upon chapters.
- President - Responsible for the over-all direction of the chapter. Acts as chairman of the Executive Committee. Makes assignments of chapter activities and assures continued progress in those activities.
- Vice-President - Acts for the president on particular items of business, at the president's discretion, and assumes full responsibility and authority in the absence of the president.
- Secretary - Develops and implements written administrative procedures for all correspondence and reports within the chapter, between the chapter and the Society, and outside the Society. Records chapter business, and maintains files, as needed.
- Treasurer - Develops and implements fiscal procedures for all incoming and outgoing chapter funds. Procedures should be written. Prepares periodic financial reports. Communicates with other
- Executive Committee officers to prepare budget forecasts.
- Program Committee - Engages speakers to deliver quality presentations on germane subjects. Develops other program activities, when appropriate, in lieu of speakers. Makes arrangements for meeting place and for needed equipment Arranges for meeting notifications to members, through chapter secretary.
- Membership Committee - Promotes membership through personal contacts and by mailing promotional materials to prospective members. Develops procedures to notify applicants, transfer membership fees to treasurer, mail chapter membership cards and certificates if used, and notifies other officers of new members.
- Publications & Public Relations Committee - Edits and distributes chapter publication, submits news and articles to Society for consideration of being printed in official Society publications. Prepares and distributes public relations releases to local news media.
- Projects Development Committee - Develops projects which are approved by the Executive Committee to advance the purposes of the chapter and the Society.
Report Requirements
Letters Temporary groups and chapters will be expected to submit certain reports to the Society, including: minutes of meetings, annual budgets, audited financial statements, rosters of new officers, current membership lists, changes in bylaws, and annual activities reports.
Publications
All Society members are encouraged to submit articles of general interest to the Editors of FOCUS and insights Into Management. All members receive FOCUS as a part of a subscription to Occupational Hazard$ Magazine. A chapter publication should also be published, monthly if possible. Likely subjects include: editorial comment on local and national issues in loss control, a message from the chapter president, articles contributed by chapter members, employment opportunities for members and meeting announcements. Chapter editors are encouraged to contact the NSMS Director of Publications for clarification of any procedural questions or for specific suggestions for the chapter publication.
Equality of Chapters
The guiding philosophy of the Society in relationship to chapters shall be that all chapters shall constitute a council of peers. Society headquarters shall serve as a communications center for chapters and shall perform administrative and technical support services 'for the Society, while reflecting the will and effort of the chapters. Chapter officials are encouraged to communicate chapter views on topics of significant national consequence.
Developing Local Bylaws
The petition for Letters Temporary shall include proposed bylaws to govern the activities of the local group. To assist in developing these bylaws, a sample is provided.
Suggested language for most sections has been provided to ensure compatibility with existing policy and procedures of the Society. In drafting your bylaws, the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society should be studied to ensure adequate coverage of all requirements contained therein.
Model Chapter Bylaws
Article I Name.
The name of this organization shall be the __________________ Chapter of the National Safety Management Society.
Article II Purpose.
The aim and desire of this Chapter shall be to promote the advancement of the safety function through application of management principles; to provide a medium of communication to encourage development of information and application of techniques that will advance the degree of professionalism of safety management; to provide a favorable environment to encourage the contribution of all academic and managerial disciplines toward the purpose that accident prevention shall be an integrated management function; and further the stature of the Society within the profession.
Article III Allegiance.
The __________________________ Chapter supports the philosophy and objectives of the National Safety Management Society, recognizes the authorities of said Society over the activities of the Chapter, and will adhere to those requirements, stated herein, or contained in the Bylaws of the National Safety Management Society.
Article W Membership and Dues.
Section 1.Qualifications. Any person interested in furthering the role of safety as an integral part of the total management function, upon application and payment of membership fees, shall be eligible for consideration in accordance with Society standards and procedures as contained in the Society Bylaws.
Section 2. Election to Membership. Each application for membership shall be submitted to the Society for review, and a determination made as to the applicant's qualifications. A person granted Society membership shall become a member of this Chapter upon meeting the requirements contained in these bylaws.
Section 3. Membership Privileges and Voting Rights. Membership privileges shall be personal and not transferable, and shall be as contained in Article III, Section 3.3, of the Society Bylaws.
Section 4. Chapter Dues. Annual dues for this Chapter shall be $ _______ ,in addition to the Society dues provided for in Article VII, of the Society Bylaws. They shall be payable on ___________ and delinquent after ______________- The provisions of Article VII of the Society Bylaws shall also govern Chapter procedures regarding dues.
Article V. Officers.
Section 1. Officers. The officers of this Chapter shall be a (President, Vice President, Secretary, etc.)
Section 2. Duties of Officers.
Section 3. Election. (Should state nominating procedures, time of elections and taking office, length of term, handling of vacancies, etc.)
Article VI. Meetings.
Suggested sections for this Article include:
Number of Meetings
Nature of Meetings
Transaction of Business
Quorum
Voting
Notice of Meetings
Roberts Rules of Order
Article VII. Committees.
Local committees may be patterned after the standing committees of the Society, and should include as a minimum, an Executive Committee composed of the officers and chairmen of standing committees. Sections should identify standing committees, their duties, composition, and selection.)
Article VIII. Finances.
Section 1. Expenditure Authorization. Authorization for expenditure of Chapter funds by the Treasurer shall be approved by the Executive Committee, except for normal operating expenses not to exceed $________ per item, which shall be approved by the President. Normal operating expenses shall be considered those routine obligations necessary to carry on day-to-day functions of the Chapter, such as postage, post office box rental, banking service charges, office supplies, telephone, local travel costs, etc.
Section 2. Annual Operating Budget. (Section should include reference to Society requirement that a copy of the annual operating budget be submitted to the Society Secretary.)
Section 3. Treasurer's Report. A semi-annual financial status report shall be sent to the Society Treasurer in July and January.
Section 4. Audit. Annually, prior to the close of the Society year, an audit shall be made of the Treasurer's books and records. The audit may be performed by an ad hoc committee or an outside source at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
Article X. Amendments.
These Bylaws may be amended by a ______________ vote of the membership, providing written notice was given at least ________ days in advance of stated meeting. Amendments required as a result of Society action shall be made within 120 days after formal notification from the Society. In all cases, the Bylaws of the National Safety Management Society shall take precedence over local requirements and apply to all Society members upon due notice.
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