When it comes to workplace safety, structure matters. Who “health and safety” reports to can make or break the impact it has. Get it right, and safety becomes quickly embedded into the company culture. Get it wrong, and it becomes a box ticking exercise buried under bureaucracy.
Establishing the right health and safety culture in any organization is as critical to business success as a solid marketing plan or recruitment strategy. Unfortunately, this is often overlooked, especially by small businesses.
So what are some of the key components that can help develop the right culture, regardless of size, style, or location?
Every year on April 28, the International Labour Organisation marks World Day for Safety and Health at Work which is intended to be a global moment to pause, reflect, and ask ourselves some important questions: are we doing enough to protect our workforce? Are we getting the right advice? Are we building safety systems that actually make work safer – or are we just overcomplicating things?
Last week, Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Brooke van Velden, unveiled the first stage of the government’s plan to reform New Zealand’s Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA). The changes aim to “cut red tape” and provide clarity for businesses…but as always, the devil is in the detail.
While simplifying compliance sounds a good thing in theory, those of us working at the coalface of health and safety know there’s a fine line between streamlining and sidelining. So, what exactly is changing and what might it mean for businesses and workers alike?
As the Christmas holiday season wraps up and we return to back to work, January offers a unique opportunity to reflect, reset, and refocus on workplace safety. The start of a new year is not just about setting our own personal resolutions—it’s also the perfect time for businesses to take a fresh look at their…
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As the year winds down, it’s the perfect time to reflect, reset, and prepare for the year ahead. For businesses, this means conducting crucial end-of-year safety checks to ensure the workplace is ready for a fresh start next year. From ensuring compliance to safeguarding your team over the holiday break, these checks are a vital…
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No matter how sophisticated your safety systems are, human slip ups remains one of the leading causes of workplace accidents. While systems and processes are essential for maintaining a safe environment, people are at the core of every workplace, and human error is inevitable.
A proactive safety culture is one where potential hazards are identified and addressed before they lead to serious incidents. It shifts the focus from reacting to accidents after they happen to anticipating and preventing them altogether.
In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of mental health in the workplace, however, many organizations still overlook the direct impact that mental health and psychosocial harm can have on workplace safety.
By blindly following “good safety practices” without questioning their actual real world effectiveness, organisations may be overlooking critical blind spots that can lead to dangerous consequences.
