Workplace Health and Safety Strategy:
Outcome Monitoring Framework - Document for Consultation
Appendix G - Technical Notes
These technical notes provide a guide for sourcing information for the measures. In some cases, manipulation of the original data source is required (e.g. in order to calculate a rate per 1000 workplaces). Where this is the case, sources for both the numerator and denominator are provided, along with instructions for the manipulation required.
Preventive Workplace Cultures
| Outcome |
Practical information, guidance and support on health and safety is available to employers/employees |
| Indicator |
Information, support and guidance is provided through proactive engagements [increase] |
| Measure |
Rate of forums and information visits provided by the Department of Labour per 1000 NZ workplaces |
| Technical Notes |
| Numerator |
Number of forums and information visits provided by the Department of Labour (calendar year) |
| Source |
Workplace Group Output Performance Statistics
Total H&S and HSNO (WI) and HSNO (contractors)
Ref# 5.1.4 Forums and Information Visits |
| Denominator |
Number of geographic units in New Zealand (as at February of each year). |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Business Demography Statistics Tables
Table 1 (continued 3)
Total Geographic Units |
| Manipulation |
Number of forums and visits/Number of geographic units x 1000 |
| Interpretation |
DoL performance statistics are generally reported per financial year, but figures are available month by month, so calendar year totals should be available on request.
Business Demographic statistics provide an annual snapshot of businesses as at February each year. The correct year’s snapshot figure should be used for the denominator. For example, Department of Labour statistics for 1 January to 31 December 2007 should be matched to Business Demography snapshot as at February 2007. Note that there are a significant number of geographic units with no employees. |
| Outcome |
Practical information, guidance and support on health and safety is available to employers/employees |
| Indicator |
Employers and employees have access to information, guidance and support from the Department on request [increase] |
| Measure |
Rate of health and safety information requests to Department of Labour via phone, email or website per 1000 employers/employees [increase] |
| Technical Notes |
| Numerator 1 |
Number of contact centre enquiries relating to H&S from employees (calendar year). |
| Numerator 2 |
Number of contact centre enquiries relating to H&S from employers (calendar year). |
| Numerator 3 |
Number of email enquiries relating to H&S from employees (calendar year). |
| Numerator 4 |
Number of email enquiries relating to H&S from employers (calendar year). |
| Numerator 5 |
Number of website hits on Department of Labour OSH website (calendar year). |
| Source |
Available on request from Department of Labour Workplace Information and Promotion GM Office |
| Denominator 1 & 3 |
Number of employees in NZ (calendar year average = Total March, June, September, December quarters/4) |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Household Labour Force Survey Tables
Table 1 (series ref HLFQ S1A3S) |
| Denominator 2 & 4 |
Number of geographic units in New Zealand (as at February of each previous year). |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Business Demography Statistics Tables
Table 1 (continued 3)
Total Geographic Units |
| Manipulation |
Contact centre enquires employees/number of employees x 1000 |
| |
Contact centre enquiries from employers/number of geographic units x 1000 |
| |
Email enquiries from employees/number of employees x 1000 |
| |
Email enquiries from employers/number of geographic units x 1000 |
| |
Hits on DoL OSH website/(number of employees + number of geographic units) x 1000 |
| Interpretation |
As these are demand driven measures, some caution is required in interpreting the figures. For example, an increase in information access is likely to indicate a higher degree of awareness and interest in managing health and safety issues, but other explanations are possible and should be considered if other indicators show that health and safety in workplaces is not improving. |
| Outcome |
Increased participation in health and safety representative training |
| Indicator |
Employee participation in H&S training [increase] |
| Measure |
Training providers report cumulative number of people completing health and safety representative training funded by government |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
Annual number and total cumulative number of people that have completed health and safety representative training run by Business NZ, CTU or Impac, broken down by level of training. |
| Source |
Health and Safety Representative Training Steering Group (co-ordinated by ACC). |
| Interpretation |
Note: This measure is expressed as a figure rather than a rate. This is because some of the people who have completed training may no longer be employed, so a rate for trained representatives in the workplace cannot be accurately derived.
The Health and Safety Representative Training Steering Group are collecting delivery data on training funded by both DoL and ACC. The delivery data will include gender, ethnicity, industry sector, location, and level of training.
The first useful data from this collection is likely to be available in May 2009. |
| Outcome |
Employees have increased knowledge of effective health and safety systems and processes |
| Indicator |
Employees’ knowledge of health and safety [increase] |
| Measure |
Percentage of employers who report that employees participated in health and safety training in the last financial year |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
Percentage of employers who report that employees participated in health and safety training in the last financial year |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Business Operations Survey 2006 Tables
Table 8
Total Health and Safety training (K33) |
| Manipulation |
Note that % figure for Health and Safety training is a subset of those who trained staff overall. I.e. 86% of employers reported that staff had attended training, and of those employers 77% reported that the training was in health and safety. Therefore % of all employers who trained in health & safety will need to be calculated from this data. |
| Interpretation |
This information available for 2006 only at this stage. Data for future years available if Department of Labour requests Employment Practices module to be run again.
Comparisons can be made by business size and industry (ANSIC Level 1) if desired. |
| Outcome |
Employees have increased awareness of the impact of workplace illness and injury, and their legal obligations |
| Indicator |
Employees’ awareness of the incidence and impact of illness/injury [increase] |
| Measure |
People’s self-reported awareness of personal risk of injury at work |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
% of respondents who felt personally at risk at work |
| Source |
NZIPS
Safety Culture Survey
Section 4.2, Table 4 (July 2007 report)
Q25/26 in survey |
| Interpretation |
Information only available for 2007 to date. The intention is to repeat this survey every two years as a monitoring tool for the NZ Injury Prevention Strategy |
| Outcome |
Employees have increased and more effective participation in development/ improvement of 'preventive workplace cultures' |
| Indicator |
Amount and quality of employee participation in health and safety activities in the workplace [increase] |
| Measure |
Employer report of whether business has formal practices for employee participation in health and safety |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
% of businesses with formal processes for employee participation in health and safety |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Business Operations Survey 2006 Tables
Table 10
Total employee participation in health and safety (H32) |
| Interpretation |
This information available for 2006 only at this stage. Data for future years available if Department of Labour requests Employment Practices module to be run again.Comparisons can be made by business size and industry (ANSIC Level 1) if desired. |
| Outcome |
Employers/ managers have increased and more effective participation in development/ improvement of 'preventive workplace cultures' |
| Indicator |
Amount and quality of employer participation in health and safety activities [increase] |
| Measure |
Employer report of whether business has formal practices for employee participation in health and safety |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
% of businesses with formal processes for employee participation in health and safety |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Business Operations Survey 2006 Tables
Table 10
Total employee participation in health and safety (H32) |
| Interpretation |
This information available for 2006 only at this stage. Data for future years available if Department of Labour requests Employment Practices module to be run again.Comparisons can be made by business size and industry (ANSIC Level 1) if desired. |
| Outcome |
Workplaces (government and private sector) adopt and improve health and safety systems and practices |
| Indicator |
Level of good health and safety systems and practices (including reduction/ management of hazards) in workplaces [increase] |
| Measure |
Employers self report of whether business has selected health and safety systems/practices in place [increase] |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
% of businesses with following practices in place
- occupational health monitoring
- measurement of noise levels
- measurement of indoor air quality
- stress and fatigue management programmes
- health promotion programmes
|
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Business Operations Survey 2006
Section C: Employment Practices Module
Q 21 ref C2101, C2102, C2103, C2104, C2105These results not published in report or tables on the Statistics NZ website. However, the Department of Labour, as a sponsoring agency for the Employment Practices module, has a copy of the data set. Request from Work Directions. |
| Interpretation |
Overall figures should be reported, and contextualised by industry. |
| Outcome |
Workplaces (government and private sector) adopt and improve health and safety systems and practices |
| Indicator |
Level of good health and safety systems and practices (including reduction/ management of hazards) in workplaces [increase] |
| Measure |
Employees perception of how well health and safety risks are managed in their workplace [increase] |
| Technical Notes |
| Numerator |
Number of employees who think that health and safety risks are managed in their workplace
- Very well
- Well
- Neither well nor poorly
- Poorly
- Very Poorly
|
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Survey of Working Life tables
Table 15 (J35-39) |
| Denominator |
Total number of employees |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Survey of Working Life tables
Table 15 (J40) |
| Manipulation |
Table gives number of employees, convert to percentages for reporting (see commentary in SOWL report). |
| Outcome |
Workplaces (government and private sector) adopt and improve health and safety systems and practices |
| Indicator |
Level of good health and safety systems and practices (including reduction/ management of hazards) in workplaces [increase] |
| Measure |
Percentage of eligible businesses participating in ACC discount programmes [increase] |
| Technical Notes |
| Numerator |
Number of businesses participating in
- ACC Partnership Programme
- Workplace Safety Management Programme
- Workplace Safety Discount Programme (small businesses)
|
| Source |
Available on request from ACC Scheme and Product manager responsible for these programmes. |
| Denominator |
Number of businesses eligible for programmes (as per eligibility criteria available from ACC, which include FTEs, earnings and payable levies) |
| Source |
Likely to be available on request from Statistics NZ Linked Employer Employee Data set. ACC may already have already requested this information for their own monitoring/evaluation. |
| Manipulation Interpretation |
Number of businesses in programmes/number of eligible businesses x 100It may be difficult to source accurate figures for eligible businesses. ACC Evaluation team are currently working on accessing these figures, and early indications are that these can be sourced from Statistics NZ LEED. If accurate information is unable to be obtained for denominator, numerator information only could be reported. This could be contextualised against business size from Business Demography Statistics (though this information should not be used to derive rate – just to give a general idea of the number of businesses that are likely to be eligible) |
| Outcome |
Workplaces (government and private sector) adopt and improve health and safety systems and practices |
| Indicator |
Level of good health and safety systems and practices (including reduction/ management of hazards) in workplaces [increase] |
| Measure |
Percentage of central government agencies participating in the ACC Partnership Programme or ACC Workplace Safety Management Practices programme. |
| Technical Notes |
| Numerator |
Number of public service departments and non-public service departments (as defined by the State Services Commission) participating in
- ACC Partnership Programme
- Workplace Safety Management Programme
|
| Source |
Available on request from ACC Scheme and Product manager responsible for these programmes. |
| DenominatorSource |
Number of central government agencies = number of Public Service departments and non-public service departments as defined by the State Services Commission.
State Services Commission list of Public Service Departments (Include only public service departments and non-public service departments. Do not include crown entities, or wider public sector) |
| Manipulation Interpretation |
Number of participating central government agencies/Number of central government agencies x 100Note that only the larger government agencies will be eligible to participate in ACC PP or WSMP. Some of the public service and non-public service departments making up the denominator may be too small to be eligible – therefore, 100% participation from these agencies is unlikely to be achievable. However, because the number of agencies in these categories is likely to remain relatively stable over time, the % figure is still useful to monitor changes in the participation rates. |
| Outcome |
Workplaces (government and private sector) adopt and improve health and safety systems and practices |
| Indicator |
Level of good health and safety systems and practices (including reduction/ management of hazards) in workplaces [increase] |
| Measure |
Percentage of earners who believe that they can personally make a difference to their own and others workplace health and safety |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
% of earners who believe that they can personally make a difference to their own safety and that of others at work |
| Source |
NZIPS
Safety Culture Survey report (July 2007)
Section 9.1.2
Q 30d |
| Interpretation |
Note that report gives total figure that agree, and then breaks down the answer for earners and non-earners. Use earners figure.Note that the answer to this question may be affected factors other than capability (e.g. perception of employer responsiveness) |
| Outcome |
Workplaces are safer |
| Indicator |
Risk of a NZ employee/ employer experiencing a workplace injury or illness [decrease] |
| Measure |
Rate of notified incidents/complaints about workplace health and safety received by the Department of Labour per 1000 NZ workplaces |
| Technical Notes |
| Numerator |
Number of health and safety incidents and complaints received by the Department (calendar year) |
| Source |
Workplace Group Output Performance Statistics
Ref# 4.2.3 |
| Denominator |
Number of geographic units in New Zealand (as at February of each year). |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Business Demography Statistics Tables
Table 1 (continued 3)
Total Geographic Units |
| Manipulation Interpretation |
Number of incidents & complaints received/number of geographic units x 1000Because notification of incidents is voluntary this indicator should be interpreted with caution. DoL performance statistics generally reported per financial year, but figures are available month by month, so calendar year totals should be available on request.Business Demographic statistics provide an annual snapshot of businesses as at February each year. The correct year’s snapshot figure should be used for the denominator. For example, Department of Labour statistics for 1 January to 31 December 2007 should be matched to Business Demography snapshot as at February 2007. Note that there are a significant number of geographic units with no employees. Most of New Zealand’s health and safety complaints/incidents will be received by the Department of Labour. However, the Civil Aviation Authority and Maritime Safety Authority also have a role in investing incidents and accidents at sea and in the air. Data from these agencies could also be reported against this indicator. Note that the data for each agency should be reported as separate measures, and not amalgamated to provide an overall incidence total.
Maritime Safety Authority accident reports and statistics
Civil Aviation Authority safety reports |
| Outcome |
People (employees/employers) are healthier |
| Indicator |
Work toll - incidence rate, and severity of injury and illness [decrease] |
| Measure |
Rate of work-related fatalities/100,000 workers |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
Rate of work-related fatalities/100,000 workers |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Injury Statistics: Work-related Claims tables
Table 23 (Fatal by sex) |
| Interpretation |
Note that for all figures in the Work-related claims report, the most recent year’s figures are provisional only and likely to change significantly. Therefore only final figures, from the year two years prior to the report date, should be used for monitoring (e.g. the 2008 report provides provisional figures for 2007 and final figures for 2006). |
| Outcome |
People (employees/employers) are healthier |
| Indicator |
Work toll - incidence rate, and severity of injury and illness [decrease] |
| Measure |
Rate of work-related fatal injuries/100,000 person years at risk |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
Rate of work-related fatal injuries/100,000 person years at risk |
| Source |
NZIPS
Chartbook of the NZIPS Serious Injury Outcome Indicators
Work-related fatal injury – Age-standardised rate: ACC (W14) |
| Interpretation |
The Chartbook uses ACC data only to calculate fatality rate. Rate is age standardised using 2003 working population age profile as baseline.Note that the Chartbook authors regard the work-related indicators as provisional (rather than validated) due to possible threats to validity as discussed in Cryer et al (2004). |
| Outcome |
People (employees/employers) are healthier |
| Indicator |
Work toll - incidence rate, and severity of injury and illness [decrease] |
| Measure |
Rate of work-related serious non-fatal injury/100,000 person years at risk |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
Rate of work-related serious non-fatal injury/100,000 person years at risk |
| Source |
NZIPS
Chartbook of the NZIPS Serious Injury Outcome Indicators
Work-related serious non-fatal injury – Age-standardised rate: ACC (W02) |
| Interpretation |
Rate is age standardised using 2003 working population age profile as baseline.
Note that the Chartbook authors regard the work-related indicators as provisional (rather than validated) due to possible threats to validity as discussed in Cryer et al (2004). |
| Outcome |
People (employees/employers) are healthier |
| Indicator |
Work toll - incidence rate, and severity of injury and illness [decrease] |
| Measure |
Rate of ACC claims for work related injuries/1000 FTEs |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
Rate of ACC claims for work related injuries/1000 FTEs |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Injury Statistics: Work-related Claims tables
Table 29 (Trends)
Incidence rate – number of claims per 1,000 FTEs |
| Interpretation |
Note that for all figures in the Work-related claims report, the most recent year’s figures are provisional only and likely to change significantly. Therefore only final figures, from the year two years prior to the report date, should be used for monitoring (e.g. the 2008 report provides provisional figures for 2007 and final figures for 2006).Note that this figure also includes claims for work-related illness claims compensated by ACC. |
| Outcome |
People (employees/employers) are healthier |
| Indicator |
Work toll - incidence rate, and severity of injury and illness [decrease] |
| Measure |
Rate of ACC entitlement claims for work related injuries/1000 FTEs |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
Rate of ACC entitlement claims for work related injuries/1000 FTEs |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Injury Statistics: Work-related Claims tables
Table 17 (Entitlement by age/sex) |
| Interpretation |
Entitlement payments include death, weekly compensation and rehabilitation payments.Note that for all figures in the Work-related claims report, the most recent year’s figures are provisional only and likely to change significantly. Therefore only final figures, from the year two years prior to the report date, should be used for monitoring (e.g. the 2008 report provides provisional figures for 2007 and final figures for 2006). |
| Outcome |
People (employees/employers) are healthier |
| Indicator |
Work toll - incidence rate, and severity of injury and illness [decrease] |
| Measure |
Proportion of ACC claims for work related illnesses |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
Percentage of ACC work-related claims for illness/disease |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Injury Statistics: Work-related Claims tables
Table 9 (type/sex)
Subtotal illness/disease – percentage of all claims |
| Interpretation |
Note that for all figures in the Work-related claims report, the most recent year’s figures are provisional only and likely to change significantly. Therefore only final figures, from the year two years prior to the report date, should be used for monitoring (e.g. the 2008 report provides provisional figures for 2007 and final figures for 2006). |
| Outcome |
Workplaces are more productive |
| Indicator |
Workdays lost due to work related injury or illness [decrease] |
| Measure |
Rate of ACC compensated lost work days due to work-related illnesses and injuries /100,000 workers |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
Days of weekly compensation payment made |
| Source |
Statistics NZ
Table 13 (and trend data)
This information was included in Statistics NZ release until 2006. Statistics NZ are no longer including this table in their public release, but have agreed to prepare and provide this annually to the Department for the WHSS monitoring.
Contact Statistics NZ in September to confirm. |
| Interpretation |
Compensation payments are only made after an individual has spent one week off work. So adding 5 days to the number of compensated days give actual work days lost for those receiving compensation. Those not receiving compensation may have had anywhere from 0-5 days lost due to injury.Note that for all figures in the Work-related claims report, the most recent year’s figures are provisional only and likely to change significantly. Therefore only final figures, from the year two years prior to the report date, should be used for monitoring (e.g. the 2008 report provides provisional figures for 2007 and final figures for 2006). |
Government Leadership and Practices
| Outcome |
Inspection and enforcement activities are efficient and effective. |
| Indicator |
Effectiveness of inspection and enforcement activities. [Increase] |
| Measure |
Proportion of Department of Labour inspection and enforcement activities that result in positive changes in workplace health and safety practices. |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
The percentage of workplaces that, after six month, have satisfactorily addressed the compliance or enforcement requirements identified. |
| Source |
Workplace Group Output Performance Statistics
Ref# 4.2.7 |
| Manipulation Interpretation |
Sum Jan-Dec %/12DoL performance statistics generally reported per financial year, but figures are available month by month, so calendar year average can be calculated. |
Industry Leadership and Community Engagement
| Outcome |
Communities have increased awareness of workplace illness and injury |
| Indicator |
Community members awareness of workplace illness and injury [increase] |
| Measure |
Community members belief that ‘everyone is at risk of injury in the workplace’ |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
% of survey respondents who agree that everyone is at risk of injury in the workplace |
| Source |
NZIPS
Safety Culture Survey report (July 2007)
Section 9.1.2
Q 30d |
| Interpretation |
Information only available for 2007 to date. The intention is to repeat this survey every two years as a monitoring tool for the NZ Injury Prevention Strategy. |
| Outcome |
Communities have increased knowledge about workplace health and safety |
| Indicator |
Community knowledge about health and safety [increase] |
| Measure |
Community members belief that workplace accidents and injuries are preventable |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
% of survey respondents who agree that injuries in the workplace are preventable |
| Source |
NZIPS
Safety Culture Survey report (July 2007)
Section 8.1 Table 7
Q 29d |
| Interpretation |
Information only available for 2007 to date. The intention is to repeat this survey every two years as a monitoring tool for the NZ Injury Prevention Strategy. |
| Outcome |
Community support for improving workplace health and safety increases |
| Indicator |
Community members’ support for improved health and safety practices [increases] |
| Measure |
Community members belief that keeping people safe from injury at work is something we must all take responsibility for as a society |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
% of survey respondents who agree that helping people keep safe from injury and harm in the workplace is something we must all take responsibility for as a society |
| Source |
NZIPS
Safety Culture Survey report (July 2007)
Section 9.1.2
Q 32d |
| Interpretation |
Information only available for 2007 to date. The intention is to repeat this survey every two years as a monitoring tool for the NZ Injury Prevention Strategy. |
| Outcome |
Community support for improving workplace health and safety increases |
| Indicator |
Community members’ support for improved health and safety practices [increases] |
| Measure |
Community members who identify the workplace as an area where they would like to see a reduction in injury |
| Technical Notes |
| Figure |
% of survey respondents who would like to see a reduction in the number and severity of accidents in the workplace |
| Source |
NZIPS
Safety ulture Survey report (July 2007)
Section 9.1
Q 36/37/38 |
| Interpretation |
Information only available for 2007 to date. The intention is to repeat this survey every two years as a monitoring tool for the NZ Injury Prevention Strategy. |
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