1. Purpose and structure of review

A Department of Labour (the Department) review of the Workplace Health and Safety Strategy for New Zealand to 2015 (the Strategy) was initiated in February 2009. This report summarises the review activities and makes conclusions and recommendations based on the review findings.

When the Strategy was launched in 2005, Cabinet signalled the need for an operational review to be conducted after three years of implementation (SDC Min (05) 11/5 refers). In addition, the review process provided a timely opportunity to take stock of workplace health and safety in New Zealand and ensure we are progressing as effectively, efficiently and innovatively as possible.

The key purposes of the review were to:

• determine progress against the Strategy's aims and Framework for Action for the period of June 2005 to December 2008
• provide in-depth analysis and conclusions regarding the performance of the Strategy
• provide recommendations for change to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Strategy
• establish key priorities for the Strategy to focus future activity.

An additional related purpose was to review the governance, accountabilities and delivery of the Workplace Health and Safety Council (the Council) and the scope for further activities it may need to undertake to support the aims of the Strategy.

This review report provides findings and recommendations about the actions needed to enable a practical and constructive improvement to workplace health and safety and the delivery of the Strategy. Current and future priorities are also addressed in these recommendations.

1.1 Background

The Strategy sits within the wider framework of the New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy (NZIPS), a government initiative to enhance the infrastructure that supports injury prevention activity. NZIPS was launched in 2003 by the Minister for ACC and is led by the NZIPS Secretariat from within the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). The Strategy delivers on one of the NZIPS six priority areas: work-related injuries and occupational disease.^[1]

The Strategy is a government framework for action intended to raise awareness about workplace health and safety, coordinate and prioritise workplace health and safety activities across stakeholders and improve the infrastructure that supports workplace health and safety.

The Strategy's vision - Healthy People in Safe and Productive Workplaces - makes the connection between workplace health and safety and productivity, considering how workplace health and safety contributes to improved workplace performance.

The Strategy also emphasises the benefits of alignment between the Department and other agency activities for workplace health and safety.

The Strategy was launched by the Minister of Labour in June 2005, together with an action plan that outlined actions and deliverables for the Strategy. The Department provides a progress briefing to the Minster of Labour twice a year and publishes an annual Snapshot of Progress that reports on annual progress and activities.

Strategy Framework for Action

The Strategy Framework for Action outlines three long-term outcomes to contribute to its overall vision of Healthy People in Safe and Productive Workplaces:

• Outcome 1: Government Leadership and Practices - This recognises the government's role in promoting a high level of health and safety performance in New Zealand workplaces and leading by example through having excellent health and safety practices in its own workplaces.
• Outcome 2: Preventive Workplace Cultures - This recognises that developing workplace cultures will reduce work-related disease and injury. Cultures are enhanced when managers are committed to health and safety, workers and their unions are involved, sound management systems for health and safety are in place and businesses are willing to share information and learn.
• Outcome 3: Industry Leadership and Community Engagement - This recognises the importance of industry in improving workplace health and safety. Industry includes employer and industry associations, unions and training providers. Recognised industry and community leaders are also effective change agents and can influence practices within workplaces.

Each outcome is supported by three objectives, and these nine objectives were broken down into 49 actions.

The Strategy also outlines eight national priorities that account for a significant proportion of all work-related diseases and injuries in New Zealand. They also reflect emerging health and safety issues and target groups of businesses or workers who are more at risk. These national priorities (airborne substances; workplace vehicles; manual handling; psychosocial work factors; slips, trips and falls; vulnerable workers; small businesses; and high-risk industries) are intended to be used as a means of focusing the objectives and targeting activities.

Framework for Action

Framework for Action

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The Department's role

The Department plays a dual role in the Strategy through its leadership in facilitating, evaluating and monitoring the progress of the Strategy, and as a prime contributor to the Strategy outcomes via its functions under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 (HSE), Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO) and Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Act 2001 (IPRC).

Related reviews

Several reviews are currently under way in the health and safety and injury prevention sphere of influence:

• ACC Injury Prevention Legislation Review and stock-take of accounts (under way).
• New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy review (under way).
• Road Safety Strategy 2020 review (under way).
• Department of Labour Workplace Group Business Process and Management Structure Review (under way).
• Reviews of health and safety and injury prevention advisory groups (under way).
• Regulatory reform reviews (signalled by government).

The outcomes of these reviews will have implications for the Strategy, which will need to be able to adapt to a changing health and safety policy environment. The Strategy also needs to support these reviews, particularly the regulatory reform reviews, to ensure the health and safety regulatory framework is fit for purpose, contributes to safe and productive workplaces and does not create an excessive or unnecessary compliance burden.

Footnotes

^[1] Appendix 1 outlines the governance structure for NZIPS and illustrates where the work-related injuries priority area fits into this wider context.

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