4.4.1 Resources, Roles, Responsibility, Accountability and Authority

Top management shall take ultimate responsibility for OH&S and the OH&S management system.

Top management shall demonstrate its commitment by:

1. ensuring the availability of resources essential to establish, implement, maintain and improve the OH&S management system; (NOTE 1 Resources include human resources and specialized skills, organizational infrastructure, technology and financial resources).
2. defining roles, allocating responsibilities and accountabilities, and delegating authorities, to facilitate effective OH&S management; roles, responsibilities, accountabilities, and authorities shall be documented and communicated.

The organization shall appoint a member(s) of top management with specific responsibility for OH&S, irrespective of other responsibilities, and with defined roles and authority for:

1. ensuring that the OH&S management system is established, implemented and maintained in accordance with this OHSAS Standard;
2. ensuring that reports on the performance of the OH&S management system are presented to top management for review and used as a basis for improvement of the OH&S management system.

NOTE 2 The top management appointee (e.g. in a large organization, a Board or executive committee member) may delegate some of their duties to a subordinate management representative(s) while still retaining accountability.

The identity of the top management appointee shall be made available to all persons working under the control of the organization.

All those with management responsibility shall demonstrate their commitment to the continual improvement of OH&S performance.

The organization shall ensure that persons in the workplace take responsibility for aspects of OH&S over which they have control, including adherence to the organization’s applicable OH&S requirements.


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