Employers are legally responsible for providing a safe work environment as well as the training and supervision needed to protect employees from work-related injuries. However, employees also have responsibilities and an important role to play.

Rights and responsibilities

Employers are bound by law (Occupational Health and Safety Act) to take responsibility for their employees’ safety in the workplace. Employees on the other hand have certain legal rights such as the right to disobey instructions that would subject them to personal dangers not normally connected with the performance of their duties. However, the Act also expects employees to help take responsibility for their own and their colleagues’ safety in the workplace.

Employees’ responsibilities

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employees have the responsibilities to:

    • Take reasonable care of their own health and safety
    • Take reasonable care not to put other people such as fellow employees or members of the public at risk by what they do or don’t do in the course of their work
    • Cooperate with the employer in improving health and safety in the workplace
    • Supply the necessary information to a labour inspector when asked to do so
    • Wear the safety clothing and use the safety equipment supplied where required
    • Report unsafe or unhealthy conditions to the employer or health and safety representative as soon as possible
    • Report an accident to the employer and the health and safety representative immediately or as soon as possible
    • Not interfere with safety equipment.

Other responsibilities employees need to consider include the following:

    • To be aware of your rights and where to seek help
    • Not to carry out tasks until you have been properly trained and you understand how to perform the task
    • To be aware of and follow the company’s health and safety policies and ask if you don’t know what they are
    • To take personal responsibility for identifying possible risks for example to avoid wearing jewellery, loose scarves or loose clothing when operating machinery and to tuck long hair away lest it be caught in the machinery
    • To know what to do in an emergency
    • To be confident in speaking up if there is a problem or when the company’s health and safety policies are not adhered to
    • To tell your employer if something happens that might affect your ability to work safely such as an injury, becoming pregnant or taking medicines that may make you drowsy.

Also remember that respect and obedience are implied duties of all employees. Otherwise the interpersonal relationship between employer and employee will be intolerable and the employer’s right to decide how its employees will work will be undermined.

 

Sources

 

Employees’ health and safety responsibilities. Retrieved from: http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/
Reporting a hazardous workplace. Retrieved from: https://www.westerncape.gov.za
South African labour law. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org
Things employees can do to create a safe work environment. Retrieved from: https://osha.europa.eu/