Who should be consulted on health, safety, and welfare on site?

• A. The client.
• B. Workers.
• C. Neighbours.
• D. Subcontractors.

Answer: (B)

Health, safety and welfare on site are best protected when those who actually carry out the work are involved in the safety process. The workers on site have direct, hands-on experience of the tasks, methods, tools and conditions that create hazards. Their day-to-day perspective helps identify risks that might not be obvious to managers, and their input is crucial for selecting practical control measures, updating risk assessments and method statements, and confirming that supervision, training, and welfare facilities match real needs. This collaborative approach also supports legal duties to consult employees on safety matters and builds a safer, more compliant site culture through ongoing conversations, toolbox talks, and clear channels for reporting concerns.

Others may be stakeholders or affected parties, but they aren’t the primary source of day-to-day safety input. The client funds and oversees the project but isn’t on the front line safety decision-maker every day, and neighbours are affected by operations rather than involved in safety planning. Subcontractors are part of the workforce, but the on-site safety consultation revolves around the people performing the work, i.e., the workers on site.