who is responsible for conducting a hazard assessment?

The responsibility for conducting a hazard assessment primarily lies with the employer. By law, employers are required to identify workplace hazards and create a safe work environment for their employees. While employers carry the accountability, they may assign the task to a competent person such as a supervisor, safety manager, or trained employee, or even hire an external third party to perform the assessment. The competent person must be qualified to recognize hazards and authorized to implement corrective actions to eliminate risks. Ultimately, the employer must ensure that hazards are identified, evaluated, and controlled to protect workers' safety.