📖 Introduction
Workplace health and safety is a shared responsibility. Everyone — from top management to the newest worker — plays a role. When responsibilities are clear, risks are reduced, and safety culture becomes stronger.
🎯 Learning Outcomes
By the end of this lecture, you should be able to:
✅ Outline the duties of employers, managers, supervisors, and workers
✅ Explain why consultation and communication are essential
✅ Describe the role of contractors and regulators in health and safety
🏢 Employer’s Responsibilities
Employers have the primary duty of care toward employees and others. Their key responsibilities are:
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🛠️ Provide safe workplaces, equipment, and systems of work
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📋 Conduct risk assessments and apply control measures
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📚 Provide training, information, and supervision
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🚨 Ensure emergency procedures are ready
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🗣️ Consult workers on safety issues
Failing in these duties can result in injuries, legal penalties, and reputational harm.
👨💼 Manager & Supervisor Responsibilities
Managers and supervisors act as the bridge between policies and workers. They must:
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📢 Communicate safety policies and procedures
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👀 Ensure control measures are followed
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📊 Monitor performance and report issues
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🌟 Lead by example and encourage safe behavior
👷 Worker Responsibilities
Workers also share responsibilities:
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🤝 Take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others
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🧤 Use PPE and equipment correctly
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📏 Follow safe systems of work
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🚩 Report hazards and incidents
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👂 Cooperate with employer’s safety efforts
🛠️ Contractor Responsibilities
Contractors must:
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📝 Provide risk assessments and safe method statements
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👷 Ensure their workers are competent and trained
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📜 Follow client rules and site procedures
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🔄 Cooperate and communicate with host employers
Poor contractor management is a frequent cause of incidents, so expectations must be crystal clear.
🏛️ Regulators and Enforcement Agencies
Government regulators play a critical role:
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🔎 Inspect workplaces
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🕵️ Investigate accidents
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⚠️ Issue notices or fines
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⚖️ Prosecute serious breaches
💡 Why Clear Roles Matter
Without defined roles:
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Hazards get ignored
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Workers assume “someone else will fix it”
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Managers delay action
✅ Clear responsibilities = stronger accountability, faster response, and a safer workplace.
📌 Case Snapshot
On a construction site, PPE use declined because supervisors thought safety officers were responsible for checks. Once roles were clarified, supervisors enforced PPE daily, compliance improved in a week, and near-miss incidents dropped.
📝 Mini Quiz
1️⃣ Name three responsibilities of employers.
2️⃣ List two responsibilities of workers.
3️⃣ Why is role clarity important in health and safety?
🔑 Summary
Health and safety is a team effort:
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Employers provide safe systems and training
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Managers and supervisors ensure compliance
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Workers follow rules and report hazards
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Contractors align with client safety systems
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Regulators enforce standards
When every role is clear, accidents fall, and safety culture grows stronger.
🚀 What’s Next in IG1
Lecture 3: Health and Safety Management System – Overview
We’ll explore the framework for managing health and safety step by step.