Element 1: Why We Should Manage Workplace Health and Safety

1.1 Morals and Money

Introduction
Occupational health and safety is relevant and important to all branches or department of
industry, business and commerce including traditional industries, information technology
companies, hospitals, care homes, schools, universities, leisure facilities and offices.

Multi-disciplinary Nature of Health and Safety

Health and Safety is vital and important, applicable to all departments and various
workplaces in an organization. Therefore, nature of health and safety become Multi-disciplinary
in nature.

Multi-disciplinary nature of health and Safety involves knowledge from various fields of
different disciplines together as under:

 Physics: Physical equipment, various machinery, mobile equipment, rotating and

reciprocating equipment follows the laws of physics like gravity, momentum, centrifugal
force, inertia etc.
 Chemistry: Various workplace industries are using hazardous chemicals like, petrol,
thinner, paints, drugs, fertilizers, which could be harmful.
 Biology: Biological hazards could be harmful to human in form of ill-health, cancers,
fever, lugs infection, kidney etc.
 Engineering: Various engineering department, like civil in construction hazards,
electrical hazards, mechanical hazards etc can cause due to falling from height, electrical
shocks, moving parts can cause accidents.
 Human Psychology: Dealing with mental stress with various people/different
culture/different societies/ climate conditions can cause ill-health.
 Legislation: Health and Safety management systems are controlled and regulated by
local/ national / international governments and enforcement agencies.

Barriers to Good Standards of Health and Safety.

To establish good standards of Health and Safety in an organization, there are many barriers
come in place which are as under: 3CB

1. C: Complexity
2. C: Conflicting Demands
3. C: Competing
4. B: Behavioral Issues
1. Complexity: Dealing with large number of employees, contractors, suppliers, sub-
contractors, shared premises, safety officers, competent persons, public and public places
become quite complex as large number of operations at a time or multiple operation to
be done in the safe manners without affecting anyone.

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 It involves the coordination with many people and requires extensive background
and awareness of possible consequences of the various activities to be performed.
2. Competing: Competition between similar organization and industry lead to quote low
cost or false data during the tendering processing.
Such situation, affect the health and safety procedures by means of negligence
and ignorance.
3. Conflicting Demands: There is great demand of for business and obvious pressure on
fulfilling in time and maintaining the quality and delightful services can cause conflicts.
A common conflict can be because of delay, poor quality and bad services.
4. Behavioral Issues: Good health and safety practices reflect the behavior of team and
individuals.
However, sometime, people does not behave correctly and do not follows the
safety rules due to excess work pressure/ production targets/ improper line of commands/
attitudes etc are barriers in good health and safety standards.

Basic Definitions and Meanings

Health (What is Health)-Absence of Ill-Health or Disease
The protection of the bodies and minds of people from illness resulting from the materials,
processes or procedures used in the workplace.

The term “health” can be defined as a state of well-being in both a physiological and
psychological sense. In occupational terms, it would include not suffering for example from
fatigue, stress or noise induced deafness.

Safety (What is Safety)- Absence of risk of accident or injury

The protection of people from physical injury. The borderline between health and safety
is ill-health and the two words are normally used together to indicate concern for the physical
and mental well-being of the individual at the place of work.

The term “Safety” can be defined as the absence of danger or risk or physical harm to
persons, extending in the workplace to things such as equipment, materials and structures.

Welfare (What is Welfare)- Accessibility of Basic facilities

The availability of facilities to maintain the health and well-being of individuals at the
workplace. Welfare facilities include washing and sanitation arrangements, the provision of
drinking water, heating, lighting, accommodation for clothing, seating (when required by the
work activity or for rest), eating and rest rooms.

The term “welfare” relates to the provision of workplace facilities that maintain the
basic wellbeing and comfort of the worker such as eating, washing and toilet facilities which
enable them to fulfill their bodily functions.

Environmental protection (What is environmental Protection)

The arrangements to cover those activities in the workplace which affect the environment (in
the form of flora, fauna, water, air and soil). Such activities include waste and effluent disposal
and atmospheric pollution.
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 The term “Environmental protection” may be defined as a measure used to prevent harm
to the environment of the world. It prevents harm to air, water, land and natural resources
providing protection to flora, fauna and human beings and their inter-relationships

The Moral Reason of Managing Health and Safety

The reasons for establishing good occupational health and safety standards are frequently
identified as:

1. Moral Reasons
2. Social Reasons (Legal-Criminal or Civil laws) and
3. Financial Reasons (Economic)

Moral reasons
When health and safety is not managed properly, people get killed and suffered from
injuries. They may suffer from terrible diseases which can have massive impact on them, their
dependents, families, relatives, friends & colleagues, such suffering shall not be acceptable
morally in managing good health and safety.

Management of an organization as employer, control the workplace, premises, equipment

and working practices used by their workers to produce goods and services that the employer
required from them. Therefore, good health and safety working conditions become a “Moral
Responsibility” for an employer of an organization.

In simple way, the moral reasons are supported by free from any occupational
accident and disease at the workplace to all workers so that everyone returning home happily in
healthy condition. This is “Right way to do the things rightly”. This is a right for workers and
society expectations.

The moral responsibility is also a most important reason, because, we all have
obligation not to cause harm to others as well as employers will have a moral obligation toward,
their employees and others.

Without moral responsibility taken by employers for their workers or employees,

organization can’t grow for longer and therefore, the commitment made about moral
responsibility by the employer helps employees to perform better and efficiently.

In nut-shell, moral responsibility is the ethical way of ensuring health and safety at
workplace by the employer for respective workers and employees.

Social Reasons (Legal Reasons-Criminal or Civil laws)

The Safety, Health requires all duty holders to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable,
the safety, health and welfare of workers and members of the public and to manage and conduct
all work activities in such a way as to ensure their safety, health and welfare. This requires all

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who have this legal responsibility to be proactive in managing their safety, health and welfare
responsibilities and deal with them in a systematic way.
Legal guidelines help organizations to improve their safety and health performance by
providing advice on how safety and health should be managed, and in the process help them to
comply with their legal requirements.
Employers must:

1. provide a safe place of work, including access and egress;

2. provide safe plant and equipment;
3. provide a safe system of work;
4. provide safe and competent fellow employees; and
5. Provide adequate levels of information, instruction, training and Supervision (IITS).

Financial Reasons (Economic Reasons)

Besides reducing costs, effective safety and health management promotes business
efficiency. Thousands of Work-related diseases and ill-health are more difficult to measure due
to their long latency period but result in excess of million days lost at work each year. These
accident and ill-health cases are due to failures and deficiencies in the occupational safety and
health management in organizations.

Economic (Financial) Benefits for implementing H&S in an organization

 High Profitability
 Production Efficiency
 Reputation of Business
 Insurance premium
 Legal cost
 Compensation
 Medical claims
 Reduce absenteeism
 Sick leaves
 Awarding Tender bidding
 Stake holders satisfaction

Poor occupational health and safety performance results in costs impact (Financial) to
an organization.

The financial impact (cost) can be due to injuries, ill-health, fatalities, life loss,
property loss and other nature of damages.

This economic impact (Financial loss) can significantly affect the financial resources of
an organization and in some cases an organization can get closed because of heavy losses
incurred in poor occupational health and safety management systems.

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 Finance is a back-bone of any organization, if economic losses made due to injuries,
ill-health, fatalities, life loss, property loss and other nature of damages its market values and
make the organization out of business within no time.

When any injuries, ill-health, fatalities, life loss, property loss and other nature of damages
happen, an organization faces following costs which are the part of incident cost.

1. Direct cost
2. Indirect cost
3. Insured cost
4. Uninsured cost

Direct Cost
The cost to an organization which can be directly quantified or measured from the incident or
accidents is known as “Direct cost”.

Examples of direct cost:

 First aid treatment/ Medical treatment
 Worker’s sick pay
 Repairs / maintenance of damaged equipment/machinery, buildings
 Replacement of damaged equipment/machinery, buildings
 Loss of products
 Loss of production time

Indirect costs:
The cost to an organization which can’t be directly quantified or measured from the
incident or accidents is known as “Indirect cost”.

These are costs which may attributable to the accident but may result from a series of
accidents. Again these may be insured or uninsured indirect cost.

Example of indirect cost:

 Moral of employees can be reduced that will not make them efficient
 Employees turnover (Attrition rate) rate shall increase (they may leave organization)
 Quality of goods can be decreased
 Recruitment of new employees will be difficult
 Loss of goodwill / reputation of business
 Industrial image and relation shall be damaged
 Brand values of products shall go down
 Extra overtime payment

Insured Cost
Which normally covers under the insurances, include following:
 Medical cost

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  claims on employers and public liability insurance;
 damage to buildings, equipment /machinery, buildings or vehicles
 any attributable production loss
 the absence of employees due to occupational illness
 legal cost associated with legal claim for compensation
 a cumulative business loss;
 product or process liability claims;
 recruitment of replacement staff.

Uninsured costs:
 Production delays or down time
 Loss of finished or unfinished materials or goods (Raw materials loss)
 Time loss Due to investigation of accident
 Fines resulting from prosecution (legal) by the enforcement authority
 Sick pay for injured workers
 Cost of hiring new employees in absence of injured person
 Training cost to new employees
 loss of goodwill and a poor corporate image;
 accident investigation time and any subsequent remedial action required;
 production delays;
 extra overtime payments;
 lost time for other employees, such as first-aid staff, who tend to the needs of the injured
person;
 the recruitment and training of replacement staff;
 additional administration time incurred;
 first-aid provision and training;
 low morale of employees,
 reduced productivity.
 market values

1.2 Regulating Health and Safety

Employers' liability Insurance

What is Employer’s liability insurance?

This is to cover employer’s liability in the event of injuries, fatalities and work-related ill-
health to its employees and others who may be affected by their operations during accidents.

Why Employer’s liability insurance?

This Employer’s liability insurance ensures that, any employee, who successfully sues
his/her employer following an accident, is assured of receiving compensation irrespective of the
financial position of the employer in the civil courts

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Who will be benefited from Employer’s liability insurance?
Under Employer’s liability insurance, both employees and employer shall be benefited from
moral, financial and social (legal) obligation.

Compensation
The event of any injury / ill-health, the employer provides some relief in financial support or
legal support is generally called compensation.

Compensation can be:

1. Fault Based Compensation

2. No-fault Based Compensation

Fault Based Compensation

The compensation for an injury following an accident is achieved by means of a
successful legal action in a Civil Court. In such cases, injured employees sue their employer for
negligence and the employer is found liable or at fault.

This approach to compensation is adversarial, costly and can deter injured individuals of
limited means from pursuing their claim

No-Fault Based Compensation

Under the No-fault compensation systems, amounts of compensation are agreed centrally at a
national or state level according to the type and severity of the injury. The compensation is often
in the form of a structured continuous award rather than a lump sum and may be awarded in the
form of a service, such as nursing care, rather than cash.

The advantages of a no-fault compensation scheme include:

1. Accident claims are settled much quicker than in fault schemes.
2. Accident reporting rates will improve
3. Accidents become much easier to investigate because blame is no longer an issue.
4. Normal disciplinary procedures within an organization or through a professional body are
unaffected and can be used if the accident resulted from negligence on the part of an
individual.
5. More funds are available from insurance premiums for the injured party and less used in
the judicial and administrative process.

The possible disadvantages of a no-fault compensation system are:

1. There is often an increase in the number of claims, some of which may not be justified.
2. There is a lack of direct accountability of managers and employers for accidents.
3. Mental injury and trauma are often excluded from no-fault schemes because of the
difficulty in measuring these conditions.
4. There is more difficulty in defining the causes of many injuries and industrial diseases
than in a fault scheme.
5. The monetary value of compensation awards tends to be considerably lower than those in
fault schemes (although this can be seen as an advantage)

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Legal Reasons for Managing Workplace Health and Safety

The Legal reasons for managing health and safety at workplace is related to:

 The International Frame work

 Roles of National Government Bodies

Most countries has set laws and standards in the regards to Management of health and safety
risks with an organization failure to enforced legal action or enforcement actions

The International Framework (ILO Convention and Recommendation)

In 1981, the ILO adopted the Occupational Safety and Health Convention (C155), which
applied to all branches of economic activity and to all categories of workers and Provision
should be made for Occupational Safety and Health measures as may be necessary and
practicable to give self-employed persons/workers/employees, protection analogous to that
provided for in the Convention and Recommendation (R164).

ILO Conventions and Recommendations- are the basis of details legislation to provide
basic minimum health and safety standards at workplace.

Employers' Responsibilities
As per ILO article-16 of C155 (ILO Convention) the employer has following
responsibilities.

Safe plant and equipment:

i. Employers shall be required to ensure that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the
workplaces, machinery, equipment and processes under their control are safe and
without risk to health.

Safe place to work:

ii. Employers shall be required to ensure that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the
chemical, physical and biological substances and agents under their control are without
risk to health when the appropriate measures of protection are taken.

Safe System to work:

iii. Employers shall be required to provide, where necessary, adequate protective clothing
and protective equipment to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, risk of accidents
or of adverse effects on health.

Training and supervision to ensure competency

iv. Conduct training and give necessary instruction and information with respect to the
specified tasks.

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Employers' Obligations
As per ILO article-10 of R164 (ILO Recommendation) the employer has following
obligation.

a) to provide and maintain workplaces, machinery and equipment, and use work methods,
which are as safe and without risk to health as is reasonably practicable;
b) to give necessary instructions and training, taking account of the functions and
capacities of different categories of workers;
c) to provide adequate supervision of work, of work practices and of application and use of
occupational safety and health measures;
d) to institute organizational arrangements regarding occupational safety and health and
the working environment adapted to the size of the undertaking and the nature of its
activities
e) to provide, without any cost to the worker, adequate personal protective clothing and
equipment which are reasonably necessary when hazards cannot be otherwise prevented
or controlled;
f) to ensure that work organization, particularly with respect to hours of work and rest
breaks, does not adversely affect occupational safety and health;
g) to take all reasonably practicable measures with a view to eliminating excessive physical
and mental fatigue;
h) to undertake studies and research or otherwise keep abreast of the scientific and
technical knowledge necessary to comply with the foregoing clauses.

Worker’s Responsibility
As per, ILO article-19 of C155 (ILO Convention) following are the responsibility of
the workers.

a) workers, in the course of performing their work, co-operate in the fulfillment by their
employer of the obligations placed upon him;
b) representatives of workers in the undertaking co-operate with the employer in the field
of occupational safety and health;
c) representatives of workers in an undertaking are given adequate information on
measures taken by the employer to secure occupational safety and health and may
consult their representative organizations about such information provided they do not
disclose commercial secrets
d) workers and their representatives in the undertaking are given appropriate training in
occupational safety and health;
e) workers or their representatives and, as the case may be, their representative
organizations in an undertaking, in accordance with national law and practice, are
enabled to enquire into, and are consulted by the employer on, all aspects of
occupational safety and health associated with their work; for this purpose technical
advisers may, by mutual agreement, be brought in from outside the undertaking;
f) a worker reports forthwith to his immediate supervisor any situation which he has
reasonable justification to believe presents an imminent and serious danger to his life or
health; until the employer has taken remedial action, if necessary, the employer cannot
require workers to return to a work situation where there is continuing imminent and
serious danger to life or health.

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Worker’s Rights
As per, Article-16 of ILO R164 (ILO Recommendation) following are the responsibility of
the workers

a) take reasonable care for their own safety and that of other persons who may be affected
by their acts or omissions at work;
b) comply with instructions given for their own safety and health and those of others and
with safety and health procedures;
c) use safety devices and protective equipment correctly and do not render them
inoperative;
d) report forthwith to their immediate supervisor any situation which they have reason to
believe could present a hazard and which they cannot themselves correct;
e) report any accident or injury to health which arises in the course of or in connection with
work.

The Role of Enforcement Agencies

Failure to achieve ILO Convention and recommendation may lead to enforcement
action by the authorities or prosecution before the courts.

Enforcement prosecution can lead to a fine and penalties and, in many countries, to
imprisonment for the individuals concerned.

Enforcement Agencies take enforcement action to ensure duty holders:

a) deal immediately with serious risks (so they prevent harm)

b) comply with the law
c) are held to account if they fail in their responsibilities 

The following are the roles of Enforcement agencies:

1. Responsible for enforcing health and safety laws,

2. Provide, advise, investigate workplace accident, take formal enforcement action for
comply with law and start criminal proceeding.

Fire authority enforcing the role of fire laws and fire legislation and giving advice on fire hazard

Insurance company carrying out inspection and audits for the improvement of standards.

Police may be involved in enforcing H&S law in some countries.

Types of enforcement
Types of enforcement may include:

 providing information and advice face-to-face or in writing

 serving notices on duty holders
 withdrawing approvals
 varying licenses, conditions or exemptions

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  issuing simple cautions
 prosecution

They make clear to duty holders which matters are subject to enforcement, and the measures they
must take to achieve compliance (including timescales).

Consequences of non-compliance
Breach of H&S legislation is usually a criminal offence leading to:

1. Formal Enforcement action (may be Improvement or Prohibition of work notices).

2. Prosecution for Organization (may be fined or imprisonment).
3. Prosecution Individual – Directors, Managers, workers (may be fined or
imprisonment).
4. legal action against employer – through civil court or legal system to prove the
negligence
5. Claiming compensation- from national or regional compensation schemes .

Financial compensation of workers

If the employer does not comply with the duties and obligations laid down in the ILO -OSH
safety and health at work.

Workers who become ill-health or involved in accidents due to negligence can claim for:

 Indemnification – Harm or Loss

 Financial compensation

 Monetary benefits

 Remuneration

 Deferred compensation

 Salary and wages

Personal Criminal Liability and Breaching the Law (Criminal Law)

Directors / Board of Directors/representatives might also be individually responsible in cases

of gross negligence in criminal law. They may-

 Prosecuted

 Imprisonments

 Banned from the job / business

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Fines for non-compliance

Criminal liability might foresee fines for not complying with OSH legislation.

The fines depend on national legislation and the systems of labor inspection, which can vary
from case to case.

The labor inspections can still control the fulfillment of the legal obligations and can

 impose fines,

 penalties,

 notices,

 advisory,

 warning

Formal Enforcement Action (Improvement Notices and Prohibition

Notices)

I. Enforcement agencies may serve an improvement notice for specify the period for
compliance and in that period the recipient of the improvement notice may lodge an
appeal with the employment tribunal.

II. Enforcement agencies may serve an Prohibition notice on employer / organization

the activity in question has been carried on but has been temporarily suspended as a
result of an accident

Sources of Information on International Standards

 ILO-Conventions, Recommendations
 Codes of Practice (COP).
 ILO-OSH 2001
 European and British Standards;
 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA, USA);
 Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH)
 European Agency for Safety and Health (EU);
 Work safe (Western Australia);
 Health and Safety Executive (HSE);
 HSE publications, such as Approved Codes of Practice,

Other Source of Information

 National safety Council (NSC)
 British Safety Council (BSC)
 guidance documents,

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  leaflets,
 journals,
 books and their websites;
 health and safety magazines and journals;
 information published by trade associations, employer organizations and trade unions;
 specialist technical and legal publications;
 information and data from manufacturers and suppliers; and
 The internet and encyclopedias related to H&S
 Indian Factory Act 1948

Other International Standards

ISO, (International Organization for Standardization) is a network of the national
standards institutes of 162 countries with a Central Secretariat based in Geneva, Switzerland.

 ISO 9001 (Quality)

 ISO 14001 (Environment)
 ISO 45001 (Safety)
 ISO 50001 (Energy Management)

The ISO standards are ‘generic management system standards’ meaning that the same
standard can be applied to any organization, large or small, whatever its product or service, in
any sector of activity, and whether it is a business enterprise, a public administration or a
government department.

Thus ISO standards:

 make the development, manufacturing and supply of products and services more
efficient, safer and cleaner;
 facilitate trade between countries and make it fairer;
 provide governments with a technical base for health, safety and environmental
legislation, and conformity assessment;
 share technological advances, good management practice and disseminate innovation;
 safeguard consumers, and users, of products and services; and
 make life simpler by providing solutions to common problems.

Many organizations are also implementing an occupational health and safety management
system (OHSMS-ISO45001:2018) addressed the following key areas:

 planning for hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control;

 OHSMS management program;
 structure and responsibility;
 training, awareness and competence;
 consultation and communication;
 operational control;
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  emergency preparedness and response; and
 Performance measuring, monitoring and improvement.

1.3 Who does what in Organization?

Organizational health and safety roles and responsibilities of employers,
directors, managers, workers and other relevant parties
Everyone is responsible for health and safety, but this is particularly true for
management. The policy will only remain as words on paper, however good the intentions, until
there is an effective organization set up to implement and monitor its requirements.

Occupational health and safety management systems such as ILO-OSH 2001 require that
an effective organization is established to implement the policy.

Control of the health and safety Organization

Like all management functions, establishing control and maintaining it day in day out is
crucial to effective health and safety management. Managers, particularly at senior levels, must
take proactive responsibility for controlling issues that could lead to ill-health, injury or loss.

A nominated senior manager at the top of the organization needs to oversee policy
implementation and monitoring. The nominated person will need to report regularly to the most
senior management team and will be a director or principal of the organization.

Health and safety responsibilities will need to be assigned to line managers and expertise must be
made available, either inside or outside the enterprise, to help them achieve their legal
requirements.

The purpose of the health and safety organization is to harness the collective enthusiasm,
skills and effort of the entire workforce with managers taking key responsibility and providing
clear direction.

The control arrangements should be part of the written health and safety policy.
Performance standards will need to be agreed and objectives set which link the outputs required
to specific tasks and activities for which individuals are responsible.

Everyone from senior managers down has health and safety responsibilities

People should be held accountable for achieving the agreed objectives through existing or
normal procedures such as:

 job descriptions, which include health and safety responsibilities;

 performance appraisal systems, which look at individual contributions;
 arrangements for dealing with poor performance;
 Where justified, the use of disciplinary procedures.

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 Such arrangements are only effective if health and safety issues achieve the same degree
of importance as other key management concerns, and a good performance is considered to be an
essential part of career and personal development.

Organizational health and safety responsibilities – employers

The Employer
An employer is an organization, institution, government entity, agency, company,
professional services firm, small business, store, or individual “who employs or puts to work”
(A person or an organization who provides employment to work)

They may be called as Directors, MD (Managing Director), CEO (Chief Executive Officer),
includes Board of directors

Employers must protect the health, safety and welfare of employees and others who might be
affected by their work activities including:

 other workers — agency, temporary or casual

 trainees
 contractors
 visitors
 Neighbors and the general public.

Organizational health and safety responsibilities – Directors

(MD/CEO/Top Management/Board of Directors/ senior Managers)

The Directors
Key person who in-charge of an organization manages whole affairs of business activities
is known as directors. He will be a part of Top management in an organization for making all
decisions.

Directors or Boards of directors need to examine their own behaviors, both individually
and collectively, against the guidance given by national enforcement agencies. If they fall short
of the standards it sets them, then they must change so that they become effective leaders in
health and safety.

Directors and Board members need to take action so that:

 the health and safety of employees and others, members of the public, may be protected;
 risk management includes health and safety risks and becomes a key business risk in
board decisions and
 Health and safety duties imposed by legislation are followed.

Directors need to ensure that the Board‘s health and safety responsibilities are properly
discharged. To achieve this, the Board will need to:

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  Cary out an annual review of health and safety performance;
 Keep the health and safety management system up to date with current board priorities
and review the health and safety management system at least every year;
 Adequate resources allocation to establish implement and maintain the health and safety
management systems
 Ensure that there are effective management systems for monitoring and reporting on the
organization's health and safety performance;
 Ensure that any significant health and safety failures and their investigation are
communicated to Board members;
 Ensure that when decisions are made the health and safety implications are fully
considered;
 Ensure that regular audits are carried out to check the effective health and safety risk
management systems are in place.
 Hiring one or more competent person to assist the organization to meet out requirement
of OHSMS

Organizational health and safety responsibilities – Middle Managers and

Supervisors
The day-to-day operational being managed by middle manager or supervisor in an
organization.

Managers and supervisors are essential communication links between the top
management and the workforce. They should ensure that the agreed health and safety
standards are communicated to the workers and adherence to those standards is monitored
effectively in all respective departments.

Departmental managers (Line Managers)

The principal departmental managers may report to the Site Manager, Managing Director
or Chief Executive in the organization.

The prime responsibility of managers (Supervisors/Line managers)::

1. are responsible and accountable for the health and safety performance of their
department;
2. are responsible for the engagement and management of contractors and that they are
properly supervised;
3. Must ensure that any machinery, equipment or vehicles used within the department are
maintained, correctly guarded and meet agreed health and safety standards.
4. Copies of records of all maintenance, statutory and insurance inspections must be kept by
the Departmental Manager;
5. Develop a training plan that includes specific job instructions for new or transferred
employees and follow up on the training by supervisors. Copies of records of all training
must be kept by the Departmental Manager;
6. Personally investigate all lost workday cases and dangerous occurrences and report to
their line manager. Progress any required corrective action.
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Therefore managers should:

 familiarize themselves with the health and safety management system of the
organization;
 ensure that there is an adequate and appropriate level of supervision for all workers;
 ensure that supervisors are aware of:
 the health and safety standards of the organization
 the specific hazards within their area of supervision;
 the need to set a good example on health and safety issues;
 the need to monitor the health and safety performance of their workforce; and
 the training needs, including induction training of their workforce;
 ensure that sufficient resources are available to allow tasks to be completed safely and
without risk to health; and
 Communicate to the Chief Executive and the Board the adherence or otherwise of the
health and standards agreed by the Board.

Roles and responsibility of Supervisors

Who is a supervisor?

A supervisor is a person appointed, by an employer, who is in-charge of a workplace or

authority over a worker. They may not have an official supervisory title, but if they have
authority over a worker, they are considered a supervisor. Authority refers to a specific power
the supervisor has to ensure a worker’s compliance with directions

Supervisors should ensure that:

 In their department they understand the risks associated with their workplace and the
measures available to control them;
 the risk control measures are up to date and are being properly used, maintained and
monitored;
 workers are encouraged to raise concerns over any shortcomings in H&S provision;
 Arrangements are in place to supervise the work of contractors.

Supervisors are responsible to and report to their Departmental Manager. In particular, they:

1. are responsible and accountable for their team‘s health and safety performance;
2. enforce all safe systems of work procedures that have been issued by the Departmental
Manager;
3. Instruct employees in relevant health and safety rules, make records of this instruction
and enforce all health and safety rules and procedures;
4. Supervise any contractors that are working within their area of supervision; and
5. Enforce personal protective equipment (PPEs) requirements,

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 6. Make spot checks to determine that protective equipment is being used and periodically
appraise condition of equipment. Record any reports of the (PPEs) requirement and
deficiencies.

Role and responsibilities of Workers (Employees):

Every worker should have Health and Safety Awareness Training to learn about their rights
and responsibilities for implementing OHSMS

 Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment.

 Operating equipment in a safe manner.
 Working in compliance with organization and its regulations.
 Reporting any known workplace hazards or any violations.
 Knowing their rights towards OHSMS.

Role and responsibilities of health safety practitioners (safety

advisor/safety officers/safety managers)

Who are safety advisor/safety officer/safety managers/ safety specialist?

A, health and safety practitioners should a “Competent person” (Having the knowledge,
ability, training, experience, skills, leadership, guidance) in the field of H&S is known as safety
advisor/safety officer/safety managers/ safety specialist

What does a Health and Safety Officer does- Roles and responsibilities?

A Health and Safety Officer is appointed to perform the main health and safety duties in
the workplace. He or she is responsible for ensuring that there is a safe working environment for
employees and other relevant parties for following Roles and responsibilities

 Developing, implementing, and improving the health and safety plans, program and
procedures in the workplace.
 Ensuring compliance with relevant health and safety legislation.
 Identifying OHS-related training needs in the workplace.
 Conducting safety inspections and risk assessments.
 Investigating workplace accidents.
 Reporting on OHS-related activities
 Supervising junior health and safety employees.

The role of Health and Safety Officer is usually a full-time job, and in order to be appointed
as a Health and Safety Officer, one must be in possession of a relevant formal qualification.

In addition to above responsibilities, the safety specialist ensure following:

 Occupational hygienists for assessment and practical advice on exposure to chemical

(dust, gases, fumes, etc), biological (viruses, fungi, etc.) and physical (noise, vibration
etc.) agents.

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  Occupational health professionals for medical examinations and diagnosis of work-
related disease, pre-employment and sickness advice, health education;
 ergonomists for advice on suitability of equipment, comfort, physical work environment,
work organization;
 physiotherapists for prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders;
 radiation protection advisers for advice on radiation issues;
 Health and safety practitioners for general advice on implementation of legislation, health
and safety management, risk assessment, control measures and monitoring performance.

The Shared responsibilities of Joint Occupiers of Premises

What is shared premises / Workplaces?

Many work premises come under the description of “shared workplaces”. This is
typically where a workplace is occupied by more than one employer (such as in a business or
enterprise centre or corporate bodies or joint ventures). However, if external contractors are used
on a sole occupation premises, it must also be considered as a shared workplace.

Why need of shared responsibilities?

When two or more employers share a workplace there could be risk to each other by
anyone whoever not maintaining a good health and safety management system at workplace.

Therefore it becomes a responsibility to each other for mutual cooperation and

coordination for their activities to ensure good health and safety management systems in the
shared workplaces.

As per Article-17 of ILO C155 (Convention) which guides that:

Whenever two or more undertakings engage in activities simultaneously at one
workplace, they shall collaborate in applying the requirements of this Convention.

As per Article-11 of ILO R164 (Recommendation) which guides that:

Whenever two or more undertakings engage in activities simultaneously at one
workplace, they should collaborate in applying the provisions regarding occupational safety and
health and the working environment, without prejudice to the responsibility of each undertaking
for the health and safety of its employees. In appropriate cases, the competent authority or
authorities should prescribe general procedures for this collaboration.

Contractor Management
Contractor management is the managing of outsourced work performed for an individual
company (employer or organization). Contractor management implements a system that manages
contractor’s health and safety information, insurance information, training programs and specific
documents that pertain to the contractor and the client.

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Who is contractor?
A person or an organization (as a vendor/service provider/suppliers/out sourced) engaged
to manage the certain work / job/service/supply requirements time to time by the client
(employer or organization)

Who is client?
A person or an organization that authorized/engage a contractor- as vendor/service
provider/suppliers/out sourced for various work / job/service/supply requirements.

The relationship between the client and the contractor

The following points should be considered when contractors are employed:

 Health and safety must be included in the contract specification.

 All significant hazards must be included in the contract specification.
 The contractor must be selected with safety in mind.
 Prior to the start of work, health and safety policies should be exchanged.

The contractor must be given basic site and health & safety information of the workplace by
the client, such as welfare, fire safety, emergency procedures, significant hazardous material
storage, chemical storage etc.

Shared duties/shared responsibility between contractors and clients

Contractors are not only responsible for their own health and safety but also for others
and who could affected by their work activities required by the client.

Example: Client hiring a contractor for painting activities in building. Therefore, client owes a
duty towards,

 The workers of contractors or contractors company (who are doing the work in client
premises or under the contract with the client) for H&S
 Other people such as their own workers (employees of client), visitor, member of public
who might be affected by their painting work activities due to, paint smell, vapors, paint
spray, spillage of paint etc
 Shared occupiers of the premises should taken in consideration

Contractor is managing certain required work by the client in which there is no direct
supervision and controlled by the client.

Contractor selection
The selection of the right contractor for a particular job is probably the most important
element in ensuring that the risks to the health and safety of everybody involved on the activity
and people in the vicinity are reduced as far as possible. Ideally, selection should be made from a
list of approved contractors who have demonstrated that they are able to meet the client’s
requirements.

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 The selection of a contractor has to be a balanced judgment with a number of factors taken
into account. Fortunately, a contractor who works well and meets the client’s requirements in
terms of the quality and timeliness of the work is likely also to have a better than average health
and safety performance. Cost, of course, will have to be part of the judgment but may not
provide any indication of which contractor is likely to give the best performance in health and
safety terms. In deciding which contractor should be chosen for a task,

The following factors should be should be considered while contractor selection:

 Do they have an adequate health and safety policy?

 Can they demonstrate that the person responsible for the work is competent?
 Can they demonstrate that competent safety advice will be available?
 Do they monitor the level of accidents at their work site?
 Do they have a system to assess the hazards of a job and implement appropriate control
measures?
 Will they produce a method statement, which sets out how they will deal with all
significant risks?
 Do they have guidance on health and safety arrangements and procedures to be followed?
 Do they have effective monitoring arrangements?
 Do they use trained and skilled staff who are qualified where appropriate? (Judgment will
be required, as many construction workers have had little or no training except training
on the job.)
 Can the company demonstrate that the employees or other workers used for the job have
had the appropriate training and are properly experienced and, where appropriate,
qualified?
 Can they produce good references indicating satisfactory performance?
 History records of any previous accidents
 National or international membership of any professional organization
 Certification from any Govt. approved body / certified body
 Any enforcement actions taken by an authority against them (Previous legal records)
 Proof of adequate resources such as access to specialist safety advised, availability of
PPEs, Safety equipments and other necessary machinery.

Planning of the work- Between client and contractors

The following Information to be exchanged between client and contractors:

 Possible hazards and risk available at workplace before start of the work
 Possibility of hazards and risk while doing the work or due to the work

Therefore, during the planning, required work can be planned in safe manner by making initial
risk assessment.

Co-ordination of the work - Between client and contractors

To avoid any conflict between the client and the contractors during stages of the work,
coordination is mandatory and should be mutually resolved without affecting work and others.

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 Therefore, coordination must ensure following

 During the work there should not any mismatch of priority

 Respective work completion dead line should be coordinated
 Smooth functioning should be process by all workers of contractors and client

Monitoring the work- Between client and contractors

Following arrangement should be made between client and contractors for ensuring safe
monitoring of the work.

 Having a signed documents for safe entry and exit procedures

 Client need to monitor contractor’s work to ensure that they are adhering required H&S
standards
 Follow ups and monitor as per risk assessment shared between both
 Follow ups and the methods statement shared between both
 PPEs being used at the workplace

Managing the work- Between client and contractors

Following arrangement should be made between client and contractors for ensuring safe
managing of the work.
 If any deviation identify, work should be stopped for review till mutually agreed again by
both
 Adequate welfare availability
 Adequate resources availability
 Time management and dead line
 Priority
 Legal compliances
 Emergency readiness and preparedness
 Controlling high risk activities by implementing permit-to-work system

The above managing points should be considered during the work in progress by keeping
H&S in priority for everyone.

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