What are the responsibilities of directors and senior managers in the field of health and safety management?

In most medium and large organizations, the ‘employer’ is the organization itself and the responsibility for fulfilling the employer’s duties for health and safety will fall on the management of the organization. Senior management – comprising the board of directors and senior management team has particular responsibility for setting general policy and objectives for the organization as awhile and is accountable for the fulfillment of that policy and achievement of those objectives. This applies to health and safety as much as to any other aspect of organization’s goals, such as making profits or protecting the environment.

Directors:

The company fulfils its legal responsibilities for health and safety – ensuring that the organization’s policies are reviewed as appropriate in order to secure continuing compliance with existing policies, current legislation and any changes in the law.

To evaluate performance in relation to these objectives and to appraise the objectives themselves.

The necessary resources are made available to maintain sound and efficient health and safety arrangements.

Appropriate leadership is given by senior management in relation to both the importance of health and safety arrangements and their continual improvement

Senior Managers:

Drawing up plans for and monitoring the implementation of the organization’s health and safety policy

Allocating resources for health and safety procedures and measures and for associated training programmers

Ensuring that lower level of management give health and safety the appropriate priority by reference to their responsibilities.