803 Scaffold Safety Program Management

Responsibility, Accountability, and Ownership

Accountability ranks right at the top with management commitment as a critical ingredient in a company's scaffold safety program.

Responsibility

When a worker is assigned responsibilities, such as performing tasks or following safety rules, they have a duty to the employer to carry them out properly and safely.

Worker Accountability

Based on how well the worker carries out their responsibilities, consequences are given—either discipline if safety rules are knowingly broken, or recognition if safety practices are consistently followed.

Example: if a worker consistently fails to use fall protection equipment, and is aware that this violates the company's safety policy, discipline by the supervisor may be appropriate due to willful non-compliance.

Employer Accountability

Supervisors and managers have a responsibility to provide everything workers need to perform the job safely. This includes giving the right tools, functioning equipment, proper materials, safety training, and enough time to do the job without rushing. Supervision must also be in place to make sure workers understand and follow the rules.

Example: if a worker is assigned to erect a scaffold but has not been trained on how to do it safely, and they make a mistake, the supervisor cannot fairly discipline the worker. The mistake happened because the training was not provided. Justification for discipline is not established if the worker was not been provided adequate supervision, training, accountability, resources, and support (See "STAR" supervision in OSHAcademy Course 712). In this case, the supervisor may be disciplined for not meeting assigned responsibilities.

Ownership

Ownership differs from responsibility and accountability. Responsibility refers to assigned or delegated duties—what must be done. Accountability means being answerable for outcomes and subject to consequences—who answers for the results. Ownership, by contrast, is a personal mindset of fully embracing a task, outcome, or role as if it were your own. It transcends mere duty, driven by initiative, pride, personal investment, and long-term commitment to success.

Example: Scaffold Erection Safety Task.

• Responsibility: The scaffold crew is assigned to erect a 20-foot scaffold per the manufacturer’s instructions and OSHA standards. They assemble the frame, install braces, planks, and guardrails.
• Accountability: The site foreman must inspect and sign off on the scaffold before use. If it collapses, the crew and foreman must justify every step in the incident report and may face discipline or retraining.
• Ownership: The lead worker, treating the platform as if their own family will work on it, goes beyond the checklist Attaches a handwritten tag: “Built Solid – Inspected by M. Ruiz – Safe for All.”

This is ownership: proactive, pride-filled, and personally invested in long-term scaffold safety.

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