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What are the main barriers to achieving the goal of "healthy people in safe and productive workplaces"?
Action area: Leadership
- Many attendees talked about government’s role in health and safety, and in particular the Department of Labour (the Department) and ACC.
- Attendees talked about a lack of cohesion between the Department and ACC, and potential confusion resulting from the different roles the two agencies perform. The aviation sector was another example provided where there are many jurisdictions and overlaps and potential confusion over who does what.
- Some attendees felt that the ACC audit processes were too complex, and ‘blunt’ the picture of where risks lie. Others talked of an audit culture where the focus is on paper, rather than behaviour on the shop floor.
- Attendees commented on the transition of the OSH Service into the Department and the loss of profile for health and safety. This has resulted in a softer public image, but a reduction in its core health and safety role.
- Many commented on a poor workplace culture in New Zealand (No 8 wire mentality) where people focus on doing the job quickly, and view health and safety as irrelevant. Others felt this is being reinforced by the ACC system (universal no-fault cover) which is acting as a disincentive for improvement of health and safety practice.
- Many felt culture change needs to be led from the top. There can be a lack of understanding of health and safety at senior management and board level. There needs to be a greater recognition that health and safety has an important role to play in workplaces
Action area: Capability
- Many attendees expressed concern that the current recession is impacting on business practice, with resulting adverse outcomes for health and safety. Some talked of the competitive tendering processes driving prices down and impacting on the delivery of safe field practices.
- Others felt that it was not the time to be cutting back on health and safety - money needs to be invested in safe practices; however the up-front cost is an issue.
- Attendees advocated that government support for health and safety education needs to be ongoing.
- Poor literacy in some sectors (e.g. health) is a barrier to the dissemination of health and safety information. The increased numbers of casual workers and migrant workers signals an ongoing need for literacy and language skills.
- Some highlighted the number of small businesses in New Zealand as a barrier. Small businesses need assistance, recognising the extra compliance costs associated with health and safety. Some suggested that there needs to be more access for small business support and mentoring for health and safety.
- Many attendees pointed to the lack of the Department’s inspectors in workplace as a barrier, citing the need for more resources at the “coalface”. Someone made the comment “The law works, but when does a workplace actually see it?”
- There is a need for more health and safety qualifications – especially occupational health, which is the “poor cousin” of health and safety.
Action area: Knowledge
- The work toll isn’t going down, and there is little reduction in injury and illness.
- Occupational health needs are not well understood. Examples provided include noise and hazardous substances. Health collection data collection and storage is a barrier.
- There is a need for sub-sector and locally specific information so that “we can talk about our industry in our area”.
- Some attendees felt there was still a poor understanding of the true cost of workplace illness and injury.
- Attendees pointed to a greater awareness of psychosocial issues in the workplace – but there is a need for more tools to assist with dealing with psychosocial issues in the workplace.
- Work is needed to overcome perceptions about health and safety – for example by way of a myth-busting campaign.
- The health and safety impacts around the design of buildings are not well understood.
Action area: Health and Safety infrastructure
- Multi-employer workplaces are a real barrier to improved health and safety. Attendees spoke of the increased use of sub-contractors (especially off-shore) to deal with the “peaks and troughs” of work.
- Some attendees suggested that an integrated approach at a national level is needed between the Workplace Health and Safety Strategy, the various ACC programmes and the HSE Act.
- A better definition of serious harm is still needed; one that achieves the middle ground. Some were of the view that the proposed definition is still problematic.
- Many Approved Codes of practice and guidelines are out-of-date. The review process is slow and tedious.
- Others felt New Zealand is still missing systems to demonstrate compliance, and that there may be significant costs to implement good systems.
- There are more off-the-shelf systems available, but these are not necessarily fit-for-purpose. They don’t always recognise complex and unpredictable work environments e.g. for mental health workers.
- The Workplace Safety Management Practices (WSMP) programme is good but doesn’t apply for smaller businesses.
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