There are a number of duties under which you may have a design
responsibility in respect of health and safety at work. Such duties
do not just arise in the context of construction work, and
potential duties imposing design responsibility are more
far-reaching.
Key duty holders
Key duty holders with responsibility for design are:
- Employers
- Manufacturers, designers, suppliers and importers of plant,
equipment, machinery and tools and of substances and materials
which are used at work
- Those involved in 'construction work' and in
particular, the persons involved in the design of construction
work
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005
("the 2005 Act") does not give a definition of design and
therefore, the usual meaning will apply. 'Design' can
include the preparation of plans, drawings or specifications, say,
for construction work or parts of a project, but can also include
the plan or arrangement of elements, or a plan or scheme of a
project.
