Gov’t Enforces Health Officer Requirement for Workplaces Over 75 Staff

The government has introduced new regulations requiring workplaces with over 75 employees to appoint a designated health and safety officer. 

These regulations, formulated under the Workplace Safety and Health Act enacted earlier this year, aim to strengthen workplace safety and wellbeing standards across various sectors.

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The Labour Relations Authority (LRA) will oversee the enforcement of the new Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, which outline specific roles and responsibilities for stakeholders to ensure a secure work environment. Central to the regulation is the requirement for businesses to implement tailored safety and health measures, with a health and safety officer assigned based on workforce size.

The regulation stipulates that companies with 75 to 150 employees must appoint one health and safety officer. Workplaces with 151 to 300 employees will require two officers, those with 301 to 500 employees three, and companies employing 501 to 1,000 staff will need four officers. For organisations exceeding 1,000 employees, five health and safety officers are mandated.

Health and safety officers are tasked with various responsibilities, including educating employees on safety practices, conducting training sessions, performing routine safety assessments, and enforcing safety protocols. Officers are also responsible for identifying potential workplace hazards and implementing preventive measures to mitigate these risks.