There are thousands of labor-management committees for occupational safety and health in the United States. Most were established or activated after passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Such committees can be an important tool when used as part of a comprehensive effort to achieve safety and health in the workplace. In the United States, labor-management committees are unlikely to have substantial authority or power. Rather, they are generally advisory in nature--usually reviewing, commenting, and making recommendations. They could play a substantial role, however. To be substantially empowered, labor-management committees would need to be represented by top-level management and well-placed union representatives who have adequate training and expertise in the field. Management representatives would also need the backing of corporate leadership. Many innovative labor-management activities are succeeding in improving the work environment. Included among them are the joint labor-management committees that exist at the Madison office of Wisconsin Bell; Horace W. Longacre, Inc., in Pennsylvania; Georgia Power's Vogtle plant; General Motors; and the Eugene (Oregon) Water and Electric Board. (Sample contract language and examples of contracts for joint labor-management safety committees are appended.) (MN)