What is the effect of assigning a person and a target date to each corrective action?

• A. It guarantees zero incidents
• B. It drives accountability in the HSMS
• C. It prevents audits
• D. It eliminates risk assessments

Answer: (B)

Assigning a person and a target date to each corrective action creates clear ownership and a deadline, which is essential for accountability in a Health and Safety Management System. When someone is named, they are responsible for implementing the fix, testing its effectiveness, and reporting back. The due date provides a timeframe for action, enabling progress tracking, escalation if needed, and verification that the action was completed. This turns an identified issue into a managed task rather than a note, supporting follow-up, audits, and continual improvement. It does not guarantee zero incidents, nor does it prevent audits or eliminate risk assessments; those outcomes require broader controls and proactive risk management, but assigning ownership and deadlines makes corrective actions concrete and trackable, strengthening overall accountability.