Construction workers: roles and responsibilities

Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015

A worker is anyone working for or under the control of a contractor on a construction site. Examples of workers include: plumbers, electricians, scaffolders, painters, decorators, steel erectors and labourers, as well as supervisors like foremen and chargehands.

Workers have an important role and should take an active part in helping to manage health and safety risks. In particular, workers must:

Employers must consult their workers (or their representatives) on any health and safety matters that affect them. Many employers go further by using positive worker involvement to highlight areas of concern and implement effective practices. For more information, see HSE's Leadership and worker involvement toolkit.

Further guidance for construction workers is available at Are you a construction worker?

Updated 2022-11-01