Who Is Responsible for Workplace Health And Safety?

In our previous article, we listed three health and safety practices that should be implemented in a jobsite to protect workers and reduce any risk of accidents. But who is responsible for workplace health and safety? Clearly, employers ultimately decide on how to support and allocate resources to health and safety, which is why the overall responsibility belongs to them. However, according to the Heath and Safety Executive (HSE), safety depends on all people working in the same site, therefore both employers and employees share  the responsibility.

Employer’s responsibility

HSE states that “employers are responsible for managing health and safety risks in their businesses”, and that it is their “duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and other people who might be affected by their work activities.” In their Guidance, they have listed the practices employers must implement, including:

• Assess risks to identify activities that could cause injuries and taking actions to limit the risk.
• Provide their workers with information on what are the specific risks and what measures have been taken to protect them.
• Consult their employees on health and safety issues.
• Display a poster – or give them a leaflet – explaining British health and safety laws and lists what all workers should do.
• Get insurance for their business.
• Make sure they provide adequate welfare facilities and a safe workspace – which includes having the right number of toilets, drinking water, somewhere to rest and eat meals, as well as providing well-maintained equipment, and a clean workspace with reasonable temperature and good lighting and ventilation.
• Prepare a policy setting out the general approach to health and safety, and how it will be managed.
• Appoint a competent person that will help the employer in managing health and safety.
• Store first aid kits, provide first aid training, and appoint first aiders.
• Make sure that people working from home use the right equipment and are in a safe workspace.

Employee’s responsibility

When clarifying who is responsible for workplace health and safety, HSE also claims that “workers have a duty to take care of their own health and safety and that of others”. This means that employees also have to make their part to guarantee a healthy and safe workspace. Their responsibilities include:

• Attend the health and safety training and follow instructions.
• Adhere to safety procedures, which also includes wearing adequate PPE at all times.
• Report health and safety issues if they think their employer is exposing them to risks or is not complying with their legal duties.

Now that you know who is responsible for workplace health and safety, make sure you and your employees are always protected. Check our website to find the best PPE and Safety Workwear!