Welcome
Who is responsible for health and safety?
Welcome to Lesson 03 of Component 12. This lesson focuses on the responsibilities and obligations of employers, employees and other people at work.
You will also compare how health and safety responsibilities operate at local, national and global levels.
Is workplace health and safety mainly the employer's responsibility, or does every individual share responsibility?
Learning Outcomes
What should you know by the end?
Prior Knowledge Check
What do you already know?
Answer these three quick questions before moving into the main lesson.
Why Responsibilities Matter
The real engineering connection
Engineering workplaces involve machinery, hazardous substances, lifting equipment, electricity, vehicles and many other hazards. Safe working depends on people understanding exactly what they are responsible for.
Employer Duty
Employers must organise work so risks are controlled and people receive suitable information, training and supervision.
Employee Duty
Employees must work safely, follow instructions, cooperate with their employer and avoid misusing safety provisions.
Shared Responsibility
A safe workplace depends on both management systems and the behaviour of individuals.
What could happen if an employer provides excellent safety systems but employees deliberately ignore them?
Main Learning Content
Responsibilities and requirements
Who does HASAWA apply to?
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 applies to people at work, including employers, employees and the self-employed. It also includes protection for members of the public who may be affected by workplace activities.
Employer Responsibilities
Safe Systems & Equipment
Employers must provide and maintain safe systems of work and equipment that does not create unnecessary risk.
Click to learn moreHandling, Storage & Transport
Risks associated with articles and substances must be controlled.
Click to learn moreTraining & Supervision
Employees need suitable information, instruction, training and supervision.
Click to learn moreSafety Policy
Employers must make clear arrangements for managing health and safety.
Click to learn moreVisitors & Contractors
Employers must consider people who may be affected by work activities.
Click to learn moreEmployee Responsibilities
- Work safely so as not to cause injury to themselves or others.
- Do not attempt work unless trained and authorised.
- Cooperate with the employer so health and safety duties can be fulfilled.
- Follow relevant safety requirements and procedures.
- Do not interfere with or misuse anything provided for health, safety or welfare.
Local, National and Global Requirements
Local
Local authorities generally enforce health and safety in many service-sector workplaces such as shops, offices, warehouses, hospitality and leisure.
National
The HSE is the national regulator and commonly enforces health and safety in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, healthcare and education.
Global
Health and safety standards vary across the world. Some countries have strong enforcement systems, while others may have weaker legal protection.
Workplace safety works best when responsibilities are understood, communicated and acted on by everyone.
Lesson Presentation
Teacher-led learning • PowerPoint 3
Responsibilities and Requirements
Use PowerPoint 3 during the teacher-led part of the lesson. This presentation supports employer and employee responsibilities and local, national and global requirements.
▶ Open Lesson PresentationYour Lesson 03 PowerPoint or PDF will be connected here when it is uploaded.
Engineering Case Study
Apply responsibilities to a workplace situation
Maintenance Workshop Scenario
An apprentice is asked to use a powered cutting machine. The apprentice has watched another worker use the machine, but has not received formal training. The supervisor is under pressure to finish the job quickly and tells the apprentice to "just be careful".
The machine guard is damaged and another employee has already reported the problem, but no repair has been arranged.
Discuss
- Which employer responsibilities may not have been met?
- What should the apprentice do?
- What responsibility does the employee who reported the damaged guard have?
- What should the supervisor do before work continues?
Reveal discussion points
Students should identify issues relating to training, authorisation, supervision, safe equipment, maintenance and control of risk.
The apprentice should not carry out a task for which they are not trained and authorised. Work should stop until the equipment and working arrangements are safe.
Class Discussion
Exam-style thinking • Shared responsibility
Who is responsible?
Discuss why workplace health and safety cannot be achieved by the employer alone.
Exam-Style Challenge 4 marks
Question: Explain two health and safety responsibilities of an employee working in an engineering environment.
- 1 mark for identifying a valid employee responsibility.
- 1 additional mark for explaining why that responsibility helps keep people safe.
- Repeat for a second developed responsibility.
Examples: work safely; follow training and instructions; do not attempt unauthorised work; cooperate with the employer; do not misuse safety equipment.
For full marks: make two separate responsibility points and explain the safety consequence of each one.
Lesson Summary
Tutor recap • Key learning from today
What have we learned today?
1. Responsibility is shared
Employers and employees both have legal and practical responsibilities for workplace health and safety.
2. Employers must organise safe work
Employers must provide safe systems, equipment, information, training, supervision and suitable workplace arrangements.
3. Employees must work safely
Employees must follow training and instructions, cooperate with their employer and avoid putting people at risk.
4. The HSE and local authorities have different roles
Enforcement responsibility depends partly on the type of workplace and work activity.
5. Health and safety requirements vary globally
Legal protection, enforcement and workplace safety standards are not identical across all countries.
Exit Ticket
Quick check • Show what you have learned
Before you finish...
Question 1 2 marks
Give one employer responsibility under HASAWA and explain why it is important.
Question 2 2 marks
Give one employee responsibility and explain how it contributes to workplace safety.
Question 3 2 marks
Explain one difference between local and national health and safety responsibilities in the UK.
Check answer guidance
Question 1: Award one mark for a valid employer responsibility and one mark for explaining the safety benefit. Examples include safe systems, safe equipment, training, supervision, safe handling/storage or protecting visitors.
Question 2: Award one mark for a valid employee responsibility and one mark for explaining how it reduces risk.
Question 3: Credit should distinguish local-authority enforcement in many service-sector workplaces from the national role of the HSE and its wider regulatory/enforcement responsibilities.
Move on to Worksheet 4 to practise employer, employee and national health and safety responsibilities.
Worksheet 4
Responsibilities • Component 12 Practice
Worksheet 4: Responsibilities
Complete Worksheet 4 to check your understanding of employer duties, employee duties and health and safety responsibility.
Worksheet Resource
Make sure you can describe responsibilities of employers and employees and explain the difference between local, national and global health and safety requirements.
AI Lesson Companion
Future VITHAAA learning support
Ask VITHAAA AI
Students will eventually be able to ask questions about employer responsibilities, employee responsibilities and local, national and global health and safety requirements directly from this area.