Construction Safety Management Guide - Site Safe

The Health And Safety In Employment Act – A Brief
Introduction
The main purpose of the Health and Safety in Employment Act is to make the
workplace safer through better management of health and safety.
Everyone involved in a construction project is responsible under the Act,
including:
Work Group:
Clients
Designers/ advisers*
(includes architects, engineers,
consultants etc.)
Head contractors*
Subcontractors
Employees
Roles you could have:
Principal*, employer, person who controls a place
of work*.
Principal, employer, self-employed,
employee.
Principal, employer, subcontractor,
person who controls a place of work.
Principal, subcontractor, employer, self-employed,
person who controls a place of work.
Employee, subcontractor.
Though the client has responsibility as a ‘principal,’ several people can be
principals at any one time, and all key people involved in a project have a duty to
provide for the health and safety needs of their own areas of operation.
Note: Anyone who contracts another party for any part of a construction
project (that is, has engaged anyone to work on the project for gain or reward
other than an employee) has a duty as a ‘principal’. Remember, you may be
wearing more than one ‘hat’ at any particular stage of the project.
However, this does not apply when work is being done on or in your own home
– though information found in this guide may still be useful in this situation.
The Health And Safety In Employment Act – A Brief Introduction
Construction Safety Management Guide 7