Roles, responsibilities and authorities
Plain-language summary
Making sure everyone knows who is responsible and accountable for which parts of safety, and that they have the authority to act.
What the clause is really asking
Safety fails when responsibilities are fuzzy and everyone assumes someone else is handling it. The clause asks leadership to assign and communicate clear OH&S roles and authorities at every level, while keeping overall accountability with top management. The intent is that people know their duties, have the power to stop unsafe work, and cannot pass the buck.
What auditors look for
Auditors ask individuals from supervisor to operator what their specific safety responsibilities are and check that answers match what is documented. They probe whether people have genuine authority, for example whether an operator can stop a job they consider unsafe. They look for accountability staying with management rather than being pushed down to the lowest level.
Typical evidence
Role descriptions including OH&S duties; organisation chart; appointment letters for safety roles such as first aiders and emergency teams; stop-work authority statements; records that roles were communicated.
How to comply — recommendations
Write OH&S duties into job descriptions and appointment letters so they are explicit, not assumed. Communicate them and confirm people understand, especially supervisors. Give workers a clear and protected right to stop unsafe work and make sure they know it. Keep overall accountability with top management even where tasks are delegated.
Common nonconformities
Workers cannot describe their own safety responsibilities; roles assigned without the authority or resources to carry them out; accountability dumped on the safety officer alone; appointments for legally required roles missing or expired.
Related clauses
ISO 9001 5.3; ISO 14001 5.3
Qlause provides interpretive guidance only and is not a substitute for the standard. Refer to your licensed copy of the relevant standard for the authoritative text.