Saskatchewan workplaces may fall under provincial or federal jurisdiction. Health and safety in workplaces under provincial jurisdiction is governed by The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993, and The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996. The Act and Regulations apply to employers, supervisors, workers, self-employed persons, contractors, suppliers and owners.

The legal responsibility for identifying and correcting health and safety hazards rests on the shoulders of the workplace parties (employers, contractors, owners, workers, supervisors, self-employers persons, owners and suppliers). The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993, and Regulations require everyone in the workplace to work together to identify and control health and safety hazards.

Since employers have the most control over the conditions of work and how it is done, they have the greatest degree of responsibility for the health and safety of workers.

Employers are also required to have a copy of The Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996 readily available to both workers and management.

The protection of workers exercise their health and safety obligations and rights and the consultative mechanism provided by occupational health committees are important parts of the system of checks and balances to make sure everyone fulfils their health and safety obligations.

Workers are legally protected from disciplinary action or other sanction by the employer for fulfilling their responsibilities or exercising their rights under the Act.

One of the three fundamental worker rights enshrined in legislation is the right to participate in health and safety decisions. In workplaces having 10 or more workers, the occupational health committee is the principal vehicle for worker participation in the workplace. It is the forum for cooperative involvement of both labour and management. The committee brings together workers’ in-depth, practical knowledge of specific jobs and management’s larger overview of job interrelationships, general company policies, and procedures. (see Occupational Health Committees)

The occupational health and safety representative is the key vehicle for worker participation in small, high-hazard workplaces where occupational health committees are not required. The representative is the liaison between the employer and coworkers, bringing worker concerns to the attention of the employer. (see Occupational Health & Safety Representative).

The on-going monitoring of the workplace by effective occupational health committees, worker representatives and by the workplace parties themselves is a much better way of addressing health and safety concerns than relying solely on the inspections and enforcement of government officials.

But there is an important role in this system for the Occupational Health and Safety Division. The division helps people in the workplace understand and fulfill their responsibilities. Occupational health officers also support occupational health committees and worker representatives, inspect workplaces and enforce compliance with health and safety requirements.

It is a mistake to think that the job of finding and controlling occupational health and safety hazards can or should be left to occupational health officers. It is not the officers' job to find the hazards in the workplace. When officers do come across hazards, that is a symptom that the people in the workplace are not fulfilling their legal health and safety responsibilities.