Dear Friends,
Safety, health, environment and welfare are not topics for protracted deliberations but to be managed with will.
For statutory and/or administrative reasons we have different departments and designations. Ultimately effective management of these functions is the absolute responsibility of the occupier.
With the spirit of splitting hair you need not check on statutes in assigning responsibility with regard to safety or welfare of employees. Though provision of first aid boxes comes under welfare per statutes (F.Act 1948) safety officer has to ensure that all emergency measures including FA facilities are in place. SO will have to accept this responsibility and manage the FA Boxes, inspect it frequently and arrange for replenishing exhausted items with the help of those who are entrusted with each box in various departments. If not as statutory responsibility he has to consider it as his moral responsibility.
Most statutory provisions are not to current requirement. If a SO will act strictly on the basis of statutes he is unfit for the position. He has to look beyond and enlarge his vision.
Scope of safety is unlimited.
If the SO is not willingly accepting the responsibility to manage FA Boxes the occupier can so decide and demand the SO to manage it. SO has to accept the occupier’s directions since occupier is the ultimate authority with regard to statutory provisions.
In fact if he is a real safety minded safety officer he will volunteer.
I am sorry to say that a safety designate resisting such responsibilities is unfit for the post.
Again HR has no role in maintaining FA Boxes as such.
This issue comes up only in India. Just think of it too !
Regards,
Kesava Pillai