Safety Is Not the Safety Manager’s Job—and That’s a Good Thing
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By Abbie Geigle
There’s a persistent myth in workplace safety that deserves to be put to rest:
“Safety managers are responsible for safety.”
They’re not.
Line managers are.
That idea can feel counterintuitive, but the truth is simple: safety lives in operations, not the safety office.
Safety Is a Line Function Responsibility
About 90% of safety controls exist within operations, not the safety department.
Daily decisions that affect safety—like work planning, staffing, tool selection, permits, deadlines, and hazard controls—are made by supervisors and line managers. These choices shape how work actually gets done and whether risks are managed or ignored.
That’s why safety can’t be delegated away. It must be owned by leadership closest to the work.
How Line Managers Shape Safety Outcomes
Line managers influence safe and unsafe behavior every day through:
- The expectations they set
- The pressure they apply
- The decisions they approve
- The rules and controls they enforce
Employees pay attention to what leaders prioritize. When safety is treated as non-negotiable, it becomes part of the culture—not just a rulebook requirement.
Redefining the Safety Manager’s Role
To make this work, organizations also need clarity on what safety managers are—and are not.
A safety manager is not:
- A firefighter
- A compliance cop
- A scapegoat
- A fixer of every problem
Instead, an effective safety manager is a:
- Coach and advisor
- Risk specialist
- System builder
- Culture enabler
Their role is to support line leaders by strengthening systems, identifying risks, and improving decision-making—not by “owning” safety outright.
Ownership vs. Accountability
Here’s the distinction that matters most:
Line managers own safety.
Safety managers are accountable for enabling it.
When safety ownership sits where the work happens, performance improves—and safety becomes sustainable.
Building the Knowledge to Lead Safety
For supervisors, managers, and safety professionals who want a deeper understanding of how leadership, systems, and risk management work together, OSHAcademy’s 48-Hour Safety Manager Program provides focused training across core occupational safety and health topics.
The program is designed to support those responsible for influencing safety at the operational level—where it truly belongs.
Learn more about the 48-Hour Safety Manager Program:
https://www.oshacademy.com/programs/48-hour-manager.html
