The Chain of Responsibility: Duties of Principals

A "Principal" is defined as anyone who contracts with another to carry out work for their business. Under Section 18A, a principal must ensure the safety and health of any contractor, subcontractor, or their employees, provided these workers are operating under the principal's direction.

This means principals must allocate sufficient time, budget, and resources to ensure safe systems of work are in place for external vendors. Failure to fulfill these duties is a serious offence under Section 19, carrying a penalty of up to RM500,000 or two years of imprisonment. This ensures that companies cannot outsource their safety liabilities by simply hiring third-party contractors.