Kevin Barr seeks to find out who is ultimately responsible for health and safety outcomes.
In the intricate web of organisational dynamics, there is a direct relationship between responsibility and control, one often overlooked within the OSH Profession.
CREDIT: Andrii Yalanskyi/Alamy Stock Photo
While the concept of responsibility is inherently linked to the idea of control, a critical examination reveals that true control is vested in those with the authority and budget to influence outcomes. This nexus between control, authority, and budget becomes particularly pronounced in the context of health and safety teams, where the lines of responsibility are often blurred.
The concept of control is intrinsically tied to the possession of both budgetary resources and decision-making authority, something most health and safety teams lack. How then, can any OSH Professional be responsible for any poor outcome, even those related to health and safety?
The truth is that without control you can have no responsibility over outcomes. The health and safety team’s role is predominantly advisory, coaching, and supporting the broader business, rather than exercising direct control over day-to-day operations.
Unlike our operational counterparts, health and safety teams commonly lack a dedicated budget or direct authority over operational teams. Instead, our influence is wielded through guidance, policy formulation, and educational initiatives. We are responsible for specific tasks within the overarching health and safety process, but the ultimate outcome lies with the operational teams.
While operational teams hold control and the ultimate responsibility, it is important to recognise that the responsibility for Health and Safety is a shared endeavour. The collaboration between Health and Safety teams and operational teams is critical, as both play integral roles in achieving a holistic and sustainable organisational framework. While operational teams navigate the helm with budgets and authority, Health and Safety teams support them, ensuring that the journey is not only productive but also safe.
Ultimately the health and safety team cannot be held wholly responsible for any failed health and Safety outcomes anymore than we are for the successes. Three pieces of advice for anyone who is finding this lack of control difficult:
Business goal alignment
Good business is good health and safety. All reputable businesses will recognise this fact, you cannot have a truly successful business plan without considering health and safety. Work with your operational counterparts to understand their specific business goals and align health and safety with them. You will get a lot more engagement and this collaborative approach works much better when you have no direct control.
Clear responsibility matrix
Get agreement at both senior and local levels about who is responsible for what. When going through this process ask the question, who has control over the outcome? Ensure that the person (or role) is documented as responsible and is aware of this. All too often we are seen as responsible for anything even close to Health and Safety but if we cannot control the outcome, we cannot be wholly responsible for it.
KPIs
Define what the measure for successful health and safety looks like, both as an organisation and also directly with operational teams. Establish performance metrics that reflect not only safety outcomes but also their impact on operational efficiency, productivity, and long-term sustainability. We are not a stand-alone function; we are an integral business function.
In conclusion, I would ask that you reflect on where the authority sits within your business. If you do not have control over an outcome, you need to make it clear to those that do where the responsibility sits. Not just to protect yourself but to ensure those that have control, understand their responsibility to use it to create a safe and healthy workplace.
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