This post was originally written as a newsletter article for ETNZ.
There has been a bit in the news recently regarding worker participation and contributions to workplace health and safety as part of the new health and safety legislation. So what is that about?
In a nutshell, the initial Workplace Health and Safety Bill required compulsory worker participation in all workplaces. The government Select Committee for the Bill has since proposed an amendment so that compulsory participation only applies to workplaces with 20+ workers, or less for high-risk industries. The politicians are now debating this.
Regardless of how this pans out from a legal perspective, as a health and safety consultant I recommend worker participation in health and safety for all workplaces. And here’s why…
Firstly, the findings of the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety (the post-Pike River investigation into New Zealand workplace health and safety) was that poor worker engagement and representation was a contributing factor in New Zealand’s poor health and safety performance. The international system that our health and safety laws are modelled is a good one, in that it is less about prescribing specific rules and more about allowing industries and individual workplaces to figure out what works best for them. However this flexible approach does rely on balanced input from three sources: the regulators (who define the legal boundaries, define what rules are needed for high risk activities and monitors these); employers/businesses (who have to balance costs against profits); and workers (who are the most impacted by decisions and have the most knowledge about the workplaces). Removing any one of these weakens the system and potentially reduces the effective balance between business output and everyone’s safety.
Secondly, as a board member or general manager who is legally responsible for the safety of all workers at my worksites I would want worker input into my health and safety planning and delivery because:
- I would want to tap into the experience and knowledge of all my workers at all levels of the organisation to identify the issues and help solve the problems.
- I would want input from those who are actually performing the work to advise me of all the hazards that actually exist in their workplaces so I am adequately informed to make decisions to manage these.
- I would want input from those with the most on-the-job experience to help develop strategies to manage workplace hazards that will work.
- I would want input from the people who use the equipment and machinery I am purchasing to find out how it is going to be used and whether it is fit for purpose – for what they will be using it for, in the spaces it will be used.
- I would want to know that when my back is turned the health and safety plans will still be followed because the workers involved helped develop them and have a sense of ownership in them.
- I would want all my workers (casuals, part-time and fulltime) to feel that I value their input and that I care about their welfare.
Thirdly, as a worker (fulltime, part time or casual) I would want to contribute to health and safety planning and delivery because:
- I am the one who will be getting hurt (or die) if it all goes horribly wrong. Or one of my friends is.
- If I have a say in how things happen, I am less likely to have to spend time on pointless activities that make no difference.
- As a worker, it seems like the big decisions are often made by people who have little idea of what really happens. This is my chance to make sure they come up with something that will actually work and make a difference, not just tick a box on boardroom papers.
As always this article reflects my opinions and not necessarily those of ETNZ or their committee.
Cathy Knowsley – HiViz Event Management (and ETNZ committee member)
