The roles and responsibilities of Supervisors and Managers-The buck stops with the people who have management and control of the workplace.

A number of WorkSafe prosecutions involving industrial accidents has highlighted the level of responsibility placed on managers and supervisors. In one of the  cases, the Supervisor was aware of the inadequate guarding of the plant and the poor work practices used on the site. The accident, resulting in the death of an employee, was also similar in root cause to a near miss that had occurred on site 12 months previously.
The Supervisor had management and control of the workplace to the extent necessary to allow him to prevent such unsafe work practices. The case emphasizes the need for supervisors and managers to be aware of their legal obligations in the workplace as well as a range of skills to manage OH&S appropriately.
There are a range of skills that all managers and supervisors should have to manage employees and contractors. These include accident and incident investigation; understanding what they are required to do under law; understanding workplace risk and control strategies; strategies to identify and manage unsafe work practices and understanding the obligations towards contractors.
More than ever, the role of the Manager and Supervisor is critical in ensuring safe workplaces and targeted training can really improve the outcomes.  HAZCON has developed a specific two day programme aimed at Managers and Supervisors. The feedback from participants would suggest that there is a real need for similar programmes  in a broad range of Australian industry.

Follow this link for information regarding the 2 Day OHS Training Program for Managers and Supervisors