Who Is Responsible For Workplace Health And Safety?

Ultimately it is down to the employer to ensure the workplace is safe for any persons working on site.

So is it just one person who is responsible for workplace health and safety?

Here we explain to you in a little more detail.

The workplace has many employers and employees and both parties play a major role in workplace health and safety.

Employers Responsibility

It is down to the employers to protect any persons working on their premises who might be affected while onsite. Employers MUST do everything in their power to attain this. So this means the employer should control the risks as much as they possibly can. This is to prevent any accidents caused on their premises.

HSE States;

It is an employer’s duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and other people who might be affected by their business. Employers must do whatever is reasonably practicable to achieve this.

One way an employer can do this is through risk assessments. Employers should carry out a risk assessment for any activity/role that has the potential to cause harm to any persons in the workplace.

Once a risk assessment has been complete measures must be put in place that significantly reduce or eliminate the risk.
For Example
If lift trucks are operating onsite with pedestrians, a simple pedestrian walkway could be introduced. Hi visibility clothing could be implemented.

If lift trucks were onsite they would also need to provide operators with Forklift Training.

Every measure that is put in place must be documented and then passed on to anyone working on site. Policies must also be continually monitored and enforced to make sure workplace health and safety is at its optimum level.

The Health and Safety Executive have put together a simple easy to follow workplace health and safety web page. This is very good for employers to refer to.

Employees Responsibility

Once the rules have been relayed to the employees they have a responsibility to adhere to them.

The Health and Safety Executive Says:

“Workers have a duty to take care of their own Health and Safety and that of others who may be affected by your actions at work. Workers must co-operate with employers and co-workers to help everyone meet their legal requirements.”

The workplace health and safety rules are usually presented to employees in the form of a company policy booklet.

It is important that this booklet is read thoroughly and any queries brought to the attention of the employer.

So if the company say you must wear gloves while working on a particular job. The company should provide gloves and it is the employees obligation to wear the gloves.

So you can see how all parties have a duty and are responsible for workplace safety. It’s the companies responsibility to carry out a thorough risk assessment and provide/put in place any equipment needed to reduce the risk. And its the employees responsibility to adhere to any rules and wear any PPE that the company states.

Do We Need A Workplace Health And Safety Officer?

A Health and safety officer is not a must in the company but is very valuable to ensure workplace health and safety is up to date. It is important to follow changes to health and safety and implement them in the workplace.

Employers have got the usual day to day tasks to complete so workplace health and safety sometimes falls behind. A health and safety officer will make sure this does not happen as this is their sole job.

If you would like any more information on courses Keylift Training run, please visit our web page.

That’s all for now.