Workplace incidents are inevitable. Despite best efforts to prevent them, accidents and near-misses do happen. When it comes to managing these events, many businesses still focus only on the immediate consequences; repairs, compliance and immediate operational disruptions, however, the real costs of incidents can go far beyond just the immediate aftermath.
Workplace health and safety isn’t just about preventing physical injuries. While hazards like falls, machinery incidents, and chemical exposure are well understood, many organisations still underestimate the impact of psychosocial risks.
In too many businesses, health and safety still lives under the umbrella of compliance; a set of procedures that must be followed to satisfy the law, completed because it’s expected, not because it’s valued. The forms are filled, the boxes are ticked, the files are stored, and the day carries on. And that works – until something goes wrong.
This past week, the Government announced a series of proposed changes to the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA). For many in the health and safety community, the reaction has been mixed: a sense of concern about what may be weakened, tempered with cautious optimism that clarity could reduce confusion and encourage better practice.
When we talk about critical risks in the workplace, we’re not talking about paper cuts or sprained ankles – we’re talking about the kinds of risks that, if they go unmanaged, could cause serious injury or death.
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?
In the world of workplace health and safety, we often rely on metrics and data to assess how well we’re doing. Decreasing injury rates, zero-incident milestones, and completed compliance checklists are celebrated as evidence of a “safe” workplace but do these metrics truly reflect safety? Or are they giving us an illusion of safety that…
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