📖 Introduction
Having a written health and safety policy is just the first step.
To make it work, an organisation needs to ensure that the right people, resources, communication channels, and competence are in place.
This is what we call the organising element of health and safety management.
In this lecture, we will explore how health and safety responsibilities are allocated,
how workers are involved, and why competence and communication are vital for creating a safe working culture.
🎯 Learning Outcomes
- Understand the importance of organisation in a health and safety management system
- Describe the roles and responsibilities of employers, managers, supervisors, and workers
- Explain worker participation and consultation
- Recognise the role of competence, training, and communication
👥 Roles and Responsibilities
Effective organisation means everyone knows their role in health and safety.
1️⃣ Employers / Senior Management
- Provide leadership and resources
- Set policy and strategy
- Ensure compliance with legal duties
- Demonstrate visible commitment
2️⃣ Managers and Supervisors
- Implement policy on the ground
- Supervise safe systems of work
- Communicate with workers
- Report and investigate hazards or incidents
3️⃣ Workers
- Follow safe practices
- Use PPE correctly
- Report unsafe conditions
- Cooperate with employer’s safety efforts
🤝 Worker Consultation and Participation
Involving workers is a legal requirement in many countries and has major safety benefits.
Consultation can be direct (regular safety meetings, toolbox talks) or through representatives and committees.
Benefits of worker involvement:
- ✔️ Better identification of hazards (workers know the job best)
- ✔️ Increased acceptance of safety measures
- ✔️ Stronger trust between management and workers
📢 Communication in Health and Safety
Communication must be two-way and consistent.
Simply issuing instructions is not enough—workers need opportunities to raise concerns.
Effective communication methods include:
- Safety signs and notices
- Training sessions and toolbox talks
- Newsletters, bulletins, emails
- Open-door policies for reporting hazards
🎓 Competence and Training
A safe workplace depends on having competent people at every level.
Competence means having the skills, knowledge, experience, and training to do the job safely.
Training should cover:
- General health and safety awareness
- Specific job-related risks
- Emergency procedures
- Continuous refresher courses
🏢 Case Snapshot
A construction company reduced accidents after setting up a safety committee
where workers and supervisors met weekly to discuss site risks.
This improved trust, ensured hazards were reported quickly,
and increased compliance with PPE use.
📝 Mini Quiz (Self-Check)
- What are the main responsibilities of workers under health and safety law?
- Why is worker consultation important?
- Define competence in health and safety.
🔑 Summary
- Organisation makes policies work in practice.
- Clear responsibilities must be set for employers, managers, supervisors, and workers.
- Worker consultation is essential for identifying risks and improving trust.
- Competence and good communication are pillars of a strong safety culture.
🚀 What’s Next in IG1
Lecture 6: Planning and Implementing Health and Safety
We will learn how to move from policies and responsibilities to practical steps such as risk assessment, safe systems of work, and emergency planning.