Safety organization, structure,function

and responsibilities
Organizing: it includes establishment of the formal structure of
authority through which work subdivisions are defined , arranged ,
and co-ordinated for the safety objectives.
An organizational set-up describes four classes of management – top
or executive, intermediate , middle, supervisory management. The
set-up may vary according to the size and nature of establishment .
Organizational set-up (structure)

Company board (top management)

Managing director (top management)

Safety executive & dept. (intermediate or middle management)

Safety committee  Managing or department heads(intermediate or middle management)

Supervisors (supervisory management)

Workers (supervisory management)

Safety representative (supervisory management )
Organization structure
Main office
executive

Finance dept. Personnel dept.

finance personal
manager manager

Achieving
goals of the
Sales dept. unit Purchase dept.
purchase
sales manager
officer

Production
Safety dept. dept.
safety manager production
manager
 General organization structure
1. A business unit is divided into different
sections or department
2. Each section or department is assigned a
definite function or duty
3. The authority and department or a group of
people are clearly defined
4. The interrelationship among various
departments and among the groups of people
working in them is clearly specified
 Line and staff organization for safety
Director of health
and safety or safety
PA to MD
and health
executive

Occupational
Environment dept. Safety dept. Industrial hygiene
health dept. , chief
manager manager or chief dept. and industrial
factory medical
safety officer hygienist
officer

Environmental
Lab Enviro advisors Safety officer Doctors staff
engineers

staff Safety supervisors Safety supervisors

staff
1 2

Workers (safety Workers (safety

committee) committee)
 Responsibilities of Occupiers
The chief advisors , factories , ministry of labour, govt. of India , new Delhi,
explains responsibility of occupiers under the Factories Act, 1948 in the
following words:

“the responsibility for the safety matters is placed squarely on the

shoulder of the occupier. He must comply safety provisions of the Act
without waiting for an inspector to visit and give instructions for what
ought to be done. Unless the employer undertakes this duty, there are
no means of ensuring that this important provision will be observed. If,
he shows himself determined to secure the use and maintenance of
guards, he can effect this object. It is a very important point for the
occupier to note, the requirements of the act are absolute and are in no
way dependent upon previous notice or warning from the inspector.
 Division of responsibilities :
No management can succeed without distribution of responsibility
at different levels or lines proceeding through all such levels.
The words “responsibility”, “accountability” and “authority” are
used side by side creating confusion. Their deference is as
follows.

Responsibility is a duty or activity assigned to a given position(s).

It comes with a authority. It requires answering for activities
and results for targets.
Accountability is an active measurement by the management to
ensure compliance with its intentions.
Authority is the right use of power.
Responsibility and authority should match with each other. We
cannot hold a person responsible for an act unless he is properly
authorized for that.
Duties and authority can be delegated but not the responsibility. A
supervisor is always responsible for the actions of his
subordinates and cannot escape from his responsibility by
delegation.
It is accepted by good management that (1) safety is a line
management responsibility (2) management should formulate
safety accountability.
The line of responsibility starts from the top executives.

Safety responsibilities of the directors and senior management :

1. Legally and other wise , top management is responsible for safe
mechanical, physical and all working conditions created by
them and under their control
2. Because of its ability and opportunity it is also responsible for preventing
unsafe actions of its work people.
3. By proper selection, training, instruction and supervision the top management
should carry out above functions.
4. The occupier or the director so notified are responsible for compliance or
breach of all statutory duties and liabilities (explained under the factories
Act & Rules, environmental protection Act 1986 and relevant applicable
regulations )
5. Line managers have to carry out the safety policy approved by the board. They
should promote and encourage awareness and willing acceptance of
importance of safety among their staff
6. Senior managers have a similar responsibility for safety as for the productive
output and should ensure that this responsibility is accepted and shared
throughout all supervisory levels . They must provide personal leadership
in carrying out the policy, in participating in safety committees, in
introducing programmes, considering all accident investigations and setting
a personal example in observation of safety regulations in their day to day
work. They should also keep the board informed of the progress in
implementing the policy, of supplying data o safety for the guidance of the
board and making recommendations necessary
For improving safety standards. They should recognize efforts of the staff
who seek to improve safety. They should also be ready to take any
disciplinary action for breach of safety duty of the company’s safety
regulation.
Location of safety functions:
After dividing the responsibilities up to supervisor’s level it is necessary to
fix the location of safety functions. Area jurisdiction of plant,
department, shop, section should be decided and distributed along
with the responsibilities. Who will carry out what function, where, who
will report to whom, where the tools, equipment, records, registers lie,
who will inspect, who will carry out job safety analysis, hazard analysis,
HAZOP study, training and teaching etc. must be decided for smooth
direction and co-ordination. They all should have common awareness
for insisting to provide guards, wear safety equipment and to follow safe
practices.