By Ken McConnell, Senior Account Manager of Safety People

After decades working across multiple industries, I’ve learned that equipment faults or missed procedures don’t cause some of the most damaging safety failures. They come down to one deceptively simple issue: no one knew who was responsible.

Having supported safety strategy across complex, multi-site operations and advised leadership teams through change, I’ve seen firsthand the consequences of poor role clarity. It creates confusion, stress, blame-shifting, and ultimately, leads to harm.

And now, the law backs it up. A lack of role clarity in safety is officially recognised as a psychosocial hazard under WHS legislation. Yet, it remains one of the most overlooked risks in modern workplaces.

In this article, I’ll break down:

• What role clarity actually means in a safety context
• Where it typically breaks down in the field
• Why it’s a real risk to both people and performance
• And five practical, on-the-ground tips I suggest to help teams tighten up roles and reduce stress

If you’ve always heard “I thought they were doing it” on your site or in a safety meeting, this one’s for you.

The Legal and Practical Divide: Duties vs Responsibilities

When it comes to workplace safety, people often confuse three core concepts:

• Duties: Legal obligations under WHS law.
• Responsibilities: The tasks or deliverables attached to a role.
• Accountability: Who ultimately owns the outcome. This cannot be delegated away.

The Safe Work Australia guidelines flag lack of role clarity as a psychosocial hazard, contributing to stress and disengagement and undermining safety outcomes.

Where Role Clarity Breaks Down

According to SafeWork NSW, this hazard can show up as:

• Role conflict – You’re pulled in different directions by competing demands.
• Role ambiguity – You’re not sure what success in your role looks like.
• Role overload – You’re wearing too many hats with no clear priority.

I’ve seen this firsthand when:

• Supervisors are expected to drive safety leadership but haven’t been trained in psychosocial risk or behavioural observations.
• Safety teams are given accountability but no operational authority.
• Contractors are unclear on who to report issues to or who’s responsible for verifying controls.

5 Ways to Manage Role Clarity In Your Organisation

Role clarity boosts trust and effectiveness. In practice, that’s not about rewriting job descriptions every six months. It’s about how we work day to day.

Here are some on-ground, practical tips I recommend:

1. Walk the RACI matrix (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed), Don’t Just Write It

Sit with your team and walk through real scenarios using the RACI matrix. Who’s doing the site induction for new contractors? Who’s verifying that the pre-start hazards are addressed? If people hesitate, you’ve got a clarity problem.

2. Run a “Role Clarity Health Check” After Org Changes

Tip: Any time your org restructures, rolls out a new system, or appoints new leaders, spend 30 minutes in each team clarifying:

• What they think their safety responsibilities are
• Where they see overlap or confusion
• What’s changed in practice

Even five clear questions can reveal misalignment early before it causes issues.

3. Make Role Expectations Visible in High-Risk Areas

On high-risk sites, use “Role Responsibility Boards” in crib rooms or control centres. Each key safety task like permit to work, lifting plans, or lead indicators is listed next to the person or role accountable. It helps during cross-shifts and handovers too.

4. Build Role Clarity into Onboarding and Task Assignments

In toolbox talks or inductions, include 2 minutes on who’s responsible for what safety elements that day. Don’t assume people know. This helps reset accountability in dynamic or fast-paced environments like shutdowns or civil works.

5. Call Out Confusion Early in Meetings

If you hear, “I thought they were doing it” or “That’s not my area”, pause and clarify roles on the spot. Don’t let it slide. These moments are the canary in the coal mine for psychosocial risk. These instances serve as early warnings of psychosocial risk.

The Leadership Role in Role Clarity

Leaders play a critical part here, and it doesn’t matter if you have “safety” in your title. Whether you’re a supervisor, a foreman, a coordinator, or a GM, you set the tone.

Tip: I always ask leaders, “What would your team say they’re responsible for?” If it takes them more than 10 seconds to answer, it’s time to revisit the conversation.

We need to move past vague phrases like “safety is everyone’s job.” It’s true, but if that’s the only message, it often becomes no one’s job in practice.

Final Thoughts

If you’re seeing accountability gaps, repeated safety admin errors, or team members feeling overwhelmed, chances are it’s not about performance. It’s about clarity.

The fix isn’t complicated. But it does require intention. And the return on clarity? Trust, safety, and performance that holds under pressure.

Let’s stop assuming people know what they’re responsible for. Let’s make it clear.

If your team’s struggling with overlapping roles or grey zones in responsibility, we at Safety People can help. Whether it’s role mapping, capability review, or leadership alignment, we’re happy to chat. https://safetypeople.com.au/contact/