Who monitors hazards, enforces safety protocols, and can stop work if unsafe?

• A. Incident Commander
• B. Safety Officer
• C. Public Information Officer
• D. Finance/Administration

Answer: (B)

The role focused on safety oversight is the Safety Officer. In incident management, this person is responsible for continuously watching for hazards, enforcing safety procedures, and having the authority to stop work if conditions are unsafe. They assess risks in the field, ensure appropriate PPE and safety controls are in place, and coordinate with the Incident Commander to take corrective actions before operations continue. While the Incident Commander directs overall incident response, and other roles handle communications or resource management, the Safety Officer is specifically tasked with preventing harm by monitoring safety and pausing activities when needed.