According to The Government of Canada:
Responsibility may be defined as an individual’s obligation to carry out assigned duties. Authority implies the right to make decisions and the power to direct others. Responsibility and authority can be delegated to subordinates, giving them the right to act for superiors. It is important to note that, while some responsibilities can be delegated, the superior remains accountable for seeing that they are carried out.
Individual responsibilities apply to every employee in the workplace, including the Chief Executive Officer. All employees will then know exactly what is expected of each individual in health and safety terms.
To fulfill their individual responsibilities, the people must:
- Know what these responsibilities are (communication required).
- Have sufficient authority to carry them out (organizational issue).
- Have the required ability and competence (training or certification required).
Once all these criteria have been met, safety performance can be assessed by each individual’s supervisor on an equal basis with other key job elements. Health and safety is not just an extra part of an employee’s job: it is an integral, full-time component of each individual’s responsibilities.
Safe By Choice – Not By Chance