Health and Safety Responsibilities of Employers | Be-Safe

Health and Safety Responsibilities for Employers

Employers are required by law to safeguard their workers against injury.

The Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) of 1974 is among the most significant pieces of legislation that define this obligation. This act sets out the health and safety responsibilities for employers to ensure they meet the minimum requirements necessary to protect the health and safety of staff in their place of work.

Worker wearing hard hat, Health and Safety Responsibilities of Employers | Be-Safe

HSWA addresses the general occupational health and safety responsibilities that apply to all workers, including contractors. It outlines the obligations that companies have to their workers and the general public, as well as those that employees have to themselves and their coworkers. No matter the business size or industry, HSWA applies to every workplace.

Some of the vital health and safety responsibilities for employers include:

Having a health and safety policy: A written health and safety policy must be in place at every workplace with five or more employees. These policies must detail the organisation’s management of health and safety, the safeguards it implements to protect employee health, and the procedures it will follow in the event of a medical emergency.

Coffee shop barista sanitising their hands, Health and Safety Responsibilities of Employers | Be-Safe

Ensuring competency: Every workplace needs to designate someone to oversee health and safety operations. The health and safety policy will be in place, and this individual will make sure that the procedures are followed. Even though specialised education is not required by law, formal training may aid the incumbent in implementing safe work practices.

Clear communication and training: Employers must ensure that all employees receive the necessary training and information to carry out their specialised tasks safely on the job site. Employees must have finished the required training for these tasks before taking on new roles with new risks. Additionally, the health and safety law poster should be visible in every workplace and placed in a location where it is easy to read.

Employee unloading a vehicle, Health and Safety Responsibilities of Employers | Be-Safe

Many employers may find it challenging to read the entire documentation because the HSWA covers so many topics in great detail. Still, it is crucial that they are aware of their legal obligations. To streamline the process of staying on top of your responsibilities as an employer, Be-Safe‘s Compliance Genie offers up-to-date and easily accessible legislation, as well as all the necessary reporting tools. As the bedrock on which you can build a safe, professional and compliant workplace, the Compliance Genie has everything you might need and more.

Back

Which version of the Compliance Genie will suit you?

If you are an SME then perhaps our self-serve option will be best?
OR if you are a larger company then click on the Enterprise version to find out more.

Self-serve compliance genie lite enterprise compliance genie