Health and Safety

in the Workplace
MGT533/NZD633 Human Resources
Management
Learning Outcome 5
Learning Outcomes
• Identify the business case for effective
Health and Safety Management
• Identify the purpose of the Health and
Safety at Work Act 2015 and how it differs
from the previous Health and Safety
Legislation
• Define the duties of the different parties
involved in managing Health and Safety at
Work
• Explain one model to managing Health
and Safety in the Workplace
• Describe the offences and penalties involved in
Health and Safety Breaches
• Explain what Health and Safety policies
should cover
• Apply Worker Participation and
Representation practices to a specific
environment
• Identifying and managing workplace risks
and hazards
• Explain the purpose of enforcement
notices
Whose
•interests?
Tension between an employers desire
to increase output and improve
efficiency and the employees need to
for protection from the adverse effects
of work and the workplace.
• Traditional risks involved dangerous
machinery and unsafe working
practices
• Modern workplace presents more
subtle risks, arising from new
technologies and from pressures in
work and society generally.
Activity

• What is safety and how is it

created in the workplace?

• What are the benefits of a safe

workplace for employers and
employees?
What is Health and Safety?
• …….regulations
and procedures
intended to
prevent accident
or injury in
workplaces or
public
environments.
• Employee – means more than the employee.
It deliberately uses the term ‘worker’
• Hazard - activity, arrangement, circumstance,
event, occurrence, phenomenon, process,
situation or substance (arising or caused in or
outside a place of work) that is an actual or
potential cause or source of harm
• Harm – illness, injury or both
• Officer – A person occupying the position of
Director/Partner/General Partner
• Notifiable incident – an unplanned or
uncontrolled incident in relation to a
workplace that exposes a worker or any other
person to serious risk to that person’s Health
and Safety.
 Human Costs
• The right thing to
do….50 people die in
workplace incidents in
New Zealand each year,
150 die from workplace
injuries and 400 die
from workplace illnesses
• Many of these deaths are
unavoidable
 Financial costs
• Lost time and production a result of
accidents and injuries
• Increased Accident and Compensation
Premiums (280000 ACC claims for
work related injuries in 2007)
• Fines and damages if prosecuted
• Repair or replacement of equipment
• Indirect costs – loss of morale, labour
turnover and absenteeism
 Benefits of Managing Health and Safety
• Legal requirements
• Moral and social obligation
– Employee welfare always part of
Personnel/HR agenda
• Business reasons
– Lower costs of illness and injury
(e.g. replacement staff)
– Positive for productivity
– Enhances image as employer-of-
choice
– Increased innovation, improved
quality and more efficiency
– Lower ACC levies, and first aid and
treatment costs

Human Resources Management in New Zealand, 5e, © Pearson 2010

 • Proactive: Employers
The Benefits & employees think
of Safe ahead, solve issues
before they become
Workplaces problems
• Productivity
increases through
improved employee
health :
– concentration
– staff morale
– Reduced
absenteeism
– Fewer injuries &
lost-time
injuries.
History of Health and
Safety in NZ
• Was based upon the 1992 UK Robens
Report, which recommended that legislation
should impose general health and safety
duties on employers and other stakeholders,
but not to prescribe specific safeguards for
particular hazards.
• It called for self-regulation, which proved
ineffective.
• After the Pike River disaster, the Independent
Task Force advised that the principles of the
Robens Model was sound, but the
implementation was weak.
 A New Era for Health and
Safety in New Zealand
• On 3.45 36 seconds on the late Spring
afternoon of Friday 19th November 2010, a
remote coalmine in the Paparoa Range on the
West Coast of New Zealand exploded. This 52
second event killed 29 Of the 31 men inside.
• Three months later, at 12.51 pm on the late-
Summer afternoon of Tuesday 22nd February
2011, the Christchurch earthquake struck. The
6.3 magnitude event killed 185 people.
• The shockwaves of these events provided the
government with ignition to review and reform
the Health and Safety laws.
 Key changes from previous Health and
Safety Legislation
• The Health and Safety at Work Act (2015) replaced and
repealed the 1992 Act and the Machinery Act 1950.
• Closely modelled on the Australian Model law.
• The law places primary duties on ‘A person conducting a
business or undertaking (PCBU), the person best placed to
manage risk
• It is predominantly risk based and not hazard based
• Directors and Officers now have a positive duty of due
diligence, to ensure the PCBU complies with its duties and
obligations – they need to positively engage with the business
• Health and Safety representatives have greater powers
 Activity

• Watch the video from Gordon Macdonald ex Chief

Executive, talking about the new Health and Safety
Legislation and answer the questions on your worksheet.
 Key Legislation - Health and
Safety at Work Act 2015
PURPOSE OF HASAWA 2015

To provide a balanced framework and to secure the Health and Safety of Workers and
Workplaces

The main purpose of HSWA is to provide for a balanced framework to secure the health and
safety of workers and workplaces by:
• protecting workers and other persons against harm to their health, safety and welfare
by eliminating or minimising risks arising from work
• providing for fair and effective workplace representation, consultation, co-operation,
and resolution of issues
• encouraging unions and employer organisations to take a constructive role in
promoting improvements in work health and safety practices and assisting PCBUs
and workers to achieve a healthier and safer working environment
• promoting the provision of advice, information, education, and training in relation to
work health and safety
• securing compliance with the Act through effective and appropriate compliance and
enforcement measures
• ensuring appropriate scrutiny and review of actions taken by persons performing
functions or exercising powers under the Act
• providing a framework for continuous improvement and progressively higher
standards of work health and safety.

Human Resources Management in New Zealand, 5e, © Pearson 2010 & CCH Guide to Health and Safety
 Duty Holders
• There are four types:
– Persons
conducting a
business or
undertaking –
these may be
individuals or
organisations
– Workers
– Officers
– Other persons
at workplaces
Activity: In your groups, present a 5-10 minute
presentation on the following:
Group 1
1. Who or what is a PCBU? (Are volunteer associations PCBU’s?)
2. Is a home worker a PCBU? Are they a PCBU if they operate a business from home?
3. What are their duties and responsibilities?
Group 2
1. Who are officers, according to HASAWA 2015? (Who are not officers?)
2. What are their duties and responsibilities?
3. What is meant by reasonably practicable?
Group 3
1. Who are workers, according to HASAWA 2015?
2. What are their duties?
3. Who are other persons?
4. What are their duties?
Group 4
1. Explain the fines for breaches of duties for the different groups for a lack of due diligence
Group 5
1. What are the requirements for Worker Participation under the Health and Safety Act
2. When is engagement required?
3. What are the roles and functions of Health and Safety Committee’s and Health and Safety
representatives?
 What is a PCBU?

• A person who conducts a person

or undertaking, whether alone or
with others and whether for profit
or not.

– This does not include workers

or officers of PCBUs,
volunteer associations, or
home occupiers that employ
or engage a tradesperson to
carry out residential work.
PRIMARY DUTY OF CARE (SECTION 36 OF
HASAWA)
• A PCBU must ensure, so far as is reasonably
practicable, the health and safety of
workers, and that other people are not put at
risk by its work. This is called the ‘primary
duty of care’.
• This means ensuring, so far as is reasonably
practicable:
– the health and safety of workers who
work for the PCBU (e.g. employees or
contractors, including their
subcontractors or workers) while they
are at work in the business or
undertaking
– the health and safety of workers whose
work activities are influenced or
directed by the PCBU while the
workers are carrying out the work (e.g.
a franchise company whose franchise
requirements influence or direct the
workers of the franchisee)
– that other persons are not put at risk
by the work of the business or
undertaking (eg a visitor to the
workplace, or members of the public
who could be affected by a work
activity).
• Duties of PCBU’s - The primary duty of care is a broad
overarching duty. It includes, but is not limited to, so
far as is reasonably practicable:

• Providing and maintaining a work environment that is

without risks to health and safety
• Providing and maintaining safe plant and structures
• Providing and maintaining safe systems of work
• Ensuring the safe use, handling and storage of plant,
structures and substances
• Providing adequate facilities for the welfare at work of
workers in carrying out work for the business or
undertaking, including ensuring access to those
facilities
• Providing any information, training, instruction, or
supervision that is necessary to protect all persons
from risks to their health and safety arising from work
carried out as part of the conduct of the business or
undertaking
• Monitoring the health of workers and the conditions at
the workplace for the purpose of preventing injury or
illness of workers arising from the conduct of the
business or undertaking.
 What is reasonably practicable?
• PCBU’s (and others) are required to fulfil their duties, so far as is
reasonably practicable. The Act defines reasonably practicable and
sets out how to determine whether the steps taken by a duty holder
meet the test.
• It takes into account:
a) The likelihood of the hazard or the risk concerned occurring and
b) The degree of harm that might result from the hazard or risk and
c) What the person knows, or ought reasonably to know about
a) The hazard or the risk and
b) The ways of eliminating or minimising the risk and
d) The availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or minimise the risk and
e) After assessing the extent of the risk and the available ways of eliminating or
minimising the risk, the cost associated with available ways of eliminating
the risk, including whether the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk.
 WORKER ENGAGEMENT
AND PARTICIPATION
DUTIES (PART 3 OF
HASAWA)
All PCBUs must involve their workers in workplace health
and safety. A safe workplace is more easily achieved
when everyone involved in the work communicates with
each other to identify hazards and risks, talks about any
health and safety concerns and works together to find
solutions.

PCBUs have a duty to:

1. Engage with workers who carry out work for them
on health and safety matters that may directly
affect them
2. To have practices that give their workers
reasonable opportunities to participate
effectively in improving health and safety in the
business or undertaking on an ongoing basis
(these are known as worker participation
practices).

Human Resources Management in New Zealand, 5e, © Pearson 2010

Officers

Offices are people who hold governance and top management roles.
They are people who occupy positions that allows them to exercise significant
influence over the management of the business or undertaking. Organisations
can have more than one officer.

Officers are:
• Company directors (even if they do not have ‘director’ in the title)
• Any partner in a partnership (other than a limited partnership)
• Any general partner in a limited partnership
• Any person who holds a position comparable to a director in a body
corporate or an unincorporated body
• Any person who occupies a position that allows them to exercise
significant influence over the management of the business or
undertaking (e.g. the Chief Executive).
 Duties of Officers

• Any officer must exercise due diligence to

ensure that the PCBU complies with its duties
or obligations. Due diligence includes taking
reasonable steps to:
• Have up to date knowledge of health and
safety matters
• Understand the operations of the business or
undertaking and of the associated hazards
and risks
• Make certain the PCBU gets and considers
information on incidents, hazards and risks
and responds in a timely fashion
• Ensure the PCBU has and implements,
processes for complying with it health and
safety duties and obligations
• Verify that the PCBU has appropriate
resources and processes
 Who is a Worker?
• Section 19 defines a worker as a person who carries out
work ‘in any capacity’ for a PCBU including work as:
– An employee
– A contractor or subcontractor
– An employee of a contractor or subcontractor
– An employee of a labour hire company who has been assigned to
work in a business or undertaking
– An outworker (homeworker)
– An apprentice of a trainee
– A person doing work experience or a trial
– A volunteer worker
– A person of a prescribed class
 Workers
Responsibilities
Workers must:
• Take reasonable care for their own
health and safety
• Take reasonable care that what they
do or do not do does not adversely
affect the health and safety of other
persons
• Co-operate with any reasonable
workplace health and safety policy
or procedure that has been notified
to workers
• Comply, so far as reasonably able,
with any reasonable instruction
given by the PCBU, so the PCBU can
comply with HSWA and regulations
Duties of other
persons
• Casual employees/workplace
visitors e.g. sales representatives
and repair technicians /people on
tours of the workplace/people who
pay the PCBU to do something at the
workplace e.g. concert goers
• Take reasonable care for their own
health and safety
• Take reasonable care for their acts
or omissions do not adversely affect
the health and safety of other
persons, and
• Comply as far as they are reasonably
able, with any reasonable
instruction given by a PCBU to allow
the PCBU to comply with the
legislation
Managers

• Managers are vital to the achievement of

Health and Safety objectives and
obligations.
• They must be encouraged to recognise that
they have key roles in H&S management
and they must be made accountable for
their H&S management performance.
• To emphasise this accountability,
statements of H&S responsibilities should
be included in managers Position
Descriptions and Employment Agreements.
Breach of Duties
Engagement with
Workers

• HASAWA 2015 requires that every person

conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), as far
as reasonably practicable, to engage with workers
who carry out work for the business or undertaking
and who are, or could be directly affected by the
health and safety matter
• Anyone convicted of failing to comply with this duty
is liable to a fine of up to $20000 and a corporate
body up to 100000
Worker
Representation
• The primary proactive focus is to help
manage health and safety, rather than
it being proactive once an event has
occurred.
• The form of worker engagement or
participation practices is not
prescribed in the Health and Safety
Act. However, the intention of the Act
is that they give real and reasonable
opportunities to participate in Health
and Safety matters.
Worker
Representatio
n
Section 59 requires:

• Relevant information be
shared in a timely manner
• Workers be given reasonable
opportunity to express views,
raise issues and contribute to
the decision making process
• The PCBU to take workers’
views into account and:
• Workers be advised of the
outcome of engagement in a
timely manner
• Section 60 states that this
needs to be on the ground
and in its overall
management
 When is engagement required?
• Identifying hazards and risks
• Making decisions about how to eliminate or minimise those risks.
• Making decisions about the adequacy of welfare facilities.
• Proposing changes that may affect workers’ health and safety.
• Making decisions and procedures for engaging with workers and
monitoring workers’ health
• Providing information and training for workers
• Developing worker participation practices
• Where there are Health and Safety Representatives, these must be
involved in the engagement.
Health and Safety
Representatives
Sections 62 -65
• Health and Safety representatives represent
workers, often in their work group.
• Foster positive health and safety practices
• Identify workplace hazards, bring them to the
employer’s attention, and discuss how to deal
with the hazards
• Consult with Labour Inspectors on health and
safety issues
• Promote the health and safety interests of
employees generally
• Need to have training
• Should be paid at their normal rate

Human Resources Management in New Zealand, 5e, © Pearson 2010

Functions of Health and
Safety Representatives
• To represent workers (in various capacities)
• To investigate complaints from workers in the
work group
• To monitor measures taken by the PCBU
• To inquire into anything that appears to be a
risk to the work group’s health and safety
• To make recommendations relating Health
and Safety
• To provide feedback to the PCBU about
compliance with the Health and Safety at
Work Act
• To promote the interests of workers who have
been harmed at work, including in relation to
arrangement for the rehabilitation and return
to work
Health and Safety
Representative
Powers
• Attend an interview concerning Health and
Safety between a worker/s and a health and
safety inspector or the PCBU
• Enter and inspect at any reasonable time,
any area of a workplace or exercise the
powers of a H&S Representative
• Request the PCBU to provide information to
help them do their job
• Accompany a H&S Inspector who enters the
workplace
• Consult WorkSafe NZ or an inspector about
any work H&S issue
• Issue a PIN (Provisional Improvement Notice)
Health and safety
committees
• Section 66 (2) requires that a PCBU should
decide on whether to establish a H&S
Committee within 2 months of being
requested to do so
• They are required to:
• Facilitate co-operation between the PCBU
and workers in instigating, developing and
carrying out measures designed to ensure
the workers Health and Safety at Work
• Assist in developing any standards, rules,
policies, or procedures relating to health and
safety that are to be followed or complied
with at the workplace
• Make recommendations relating to work
Health and Safety
 Create a Health and
Safety Culture

• It should be integrated into the everyday

processes within an organisation and into
workplace behaviours and attitudes

• Question: How could a culture of Health of

Safety be integrated into other aspects of
Human Resource Management?
 Managing Health and Safety

• Plan, Do,
Check, Act
– UK Health
and Safety
Executive
A Model for Managing Health and Safety
PLAN/DO/CHECK/AC
T
Where are you now and where
do you need to be?
Create H&S policies for
implementation
E.g.- Sealord H&S policy –

Define and communicate

acceptable performance:
through setting objectives that
are SMART. Identify who does
what and where.

State how you will achieve

your aims and measure
performance and success
 Health and Safety
Policies - Why you
• need
Commit thethem
organisation to providing safe
and healthy work in a safe and healthy
workplace
• Tell managers, workers, and other people
what is expected of them
• Prescribe what people may — and may not —
do when health and safety is involved
• Give managers and workers information
and guidance to help them make good
decisions quickly, especially in emergency
or unplanned situations
• Give managers the confidence to make
decisions without having to refer higher up
the organisation, and
• Assure managers and workers that the
organisation will support decisions and
actions that they take in line with the
organisation’s policies.
What should Health and
Safety Policies Cover?
Policy statements take many forms, long and short. It
should state
• The employers commitment to managing health
and safety in the best interests of the organisation
and the its workforce
• What the policy provides or requires
• Describe how Health and Safety policies and
practices are to be developed
• Who it covers and who is responsible for
implementation and compliance
• What people must do in order to comply with the
policy and meet its objectives
• Outline the steps to be taken in an emergency
• Describe arrangements for consultation on Health
and Safety matters
 Health and Safety
Policies

Health and safety policies are usually either:

• general policies — which commit the organisation to
promote and protect the health and safety of workers and
other people, and to provide safe and healthy work in a safe
and healthy workplace, or
• specific policies — which deal with particular health and
safety topics (e.g. first aid, role of health and safety
representatives, health and safety training, bullying,
employee assistance programme).
Developing Health
and Safety Policies
• The duty of good faith in the
Employment Relations Act 2000
requires employers and employees
to be constructive and
communicative in all aspects of the
employment relationship. That
includes the development of health
and safety policies and procedures.
• Developing a policy should be a
consultative process, but not a
negotiation.
• In addition, the Health and Safety at
Work Act 2015 gives health and
safety committees a particular role
“to assist in developing any
standards, rules, policies, or
procedures relating to health and
safety that are to be followed or
complied with at the workplace;”.
 PLAN/DO/CHECK/ACT
Identify your risk profile –
• Assess the risks, who could be harmed and how and
what you will do to manage the risks.
• What could happen if harm does occur?
• What could happen if harm does occur?
• How serious are the possible consequences?
• How can you manage these risks
• A PCBU is required to do everything that is reasonable
for a PCBU to do, to eliminate or minimise a risk.
• A risk must be eliminated if it is reasonably practicable
to do so.
• If it can’t be eliminated, then the risk should be
minimised e.g. installing a guard, or blocking access to
a hazardous area.
• Each identified hazard must be assessed to determine
whether, and to what extent, the risks it presents can be
eliminated or minimised.
 PLAN/DO/CHECK/ACT
• You’re not expected to have perfect knowledge when
conducting a risk assessment — nor are you expected to
anticipate risks that cannot reasonably be foreseen.
• But you are expected to know what you could reasonably be
expected to know.
Ask these three questions:
• Can this risk be eliminated completely?
• If not, how can the risks be controlled or minimised so that
there is no threat to the health or safety of people in the
workplace?
• How can the likelihood of recurring harm be prevented or
reduced?
Activity

Watch the video

and answer this
question:
• What is the
difference
between a risk
and a hazard?
 Activity

• Brainstorm what risks may be included in a risk

profile for:
– An airline
– A retail store

• Complete the risk assessment form for a retail

store/office workspace
 Hazard
Management
 Identifying Hazards
• What is there about the workplace, work activities,
processes, equipment and substances that might pose a
risk to people’s safety or health?
• Just walk around.
• Identifying hazards is also important when new equipment,
systems or processes are being introduced
• Hazards are not just physical – also in the environment e.g.
light, noise, temperature
• Ergonomic factors
 Sources of information
• There are many sources of information about risks and hazards
– do people work overtime? Do people work shifts? When is
maintenance performed on plant and equipment?
• Accident and injury records
• Information and instructions for machines
• Codes of practice
• Regulations and by-laws
• Good practice guidelines by industry or professional orgs
• Articles in magazines and journals
 Common Workplace Hazards
Chemical Safety Physical Psycho- Behavi
Hazards Hazards Hazards logical oural
Hazards
Smoke & Electrical Noise Work overload Mental
cigarette hazards X-rays Interpersonal fatigue
smoke Fire Vibration relationships Drugs
Fuel Lifting Temperatu Organisational alcohol
Lead, Slipping re structure
asbestos Uncomfortable extremes Stress
Solvents, working (hot &
dyes position cold)
Industry and occupation examples

• Industries and occupations have their own unique hazards

and associated risks.
• Using a checklist can help to identify hazards that are
specific to a particular workplace or work process.
• Please see the example of a hazard and risk checklist for
the hairdressing industry.
Hazard Matrix
Activity –
Identifying
Hazards

• Complete the
Hazard
Identification
Form for the
library.
 Deciding on control measures

Health and Safety at Work Act (2015) describes how to manage

risk arising from:
• Young people and young workers
• Remote or isolated work
• Containers of liquids that pose a risk of drowning
• Atmospheres at risk of explosion
• Raised and falling objects
• Loose material in enclosed spaces
• Substances hazardous to health
 Hierarchy of risk control measures

• Otherwise the PCBU must decide how best to manage the risk
• Hierarchy of risk control measures from WorkSafe can help you
with this
• Start at the highest level. What control measures are most
likely to eliminate the risk, or minimise it the most? Take that
action, unless it is not reasonably practicable to do so.
• Is it reasonably practicable? You must err on the side of caution
• See list from the Hairdressing industry
 PLAN/DO/CHECK/ACT

Organise activities to deliver on plan –

• Involve workers and communicate, so everyone is clear on
what is needed. Provide adequate resources to carry it out.

Implement your plan –

• Decide on the preventative and protective measures and put
them in place.
• Provide the right tools and equipment to do the job and keep
them maintained.
• Train and instruct, to ensure everyone is competent to carry
out their work. Supervise to make sure that arrangements are
followed
 PLAN/DO/CHECK/ACT
• Measure your performance –
make sure your plan is
implemented
• Assess how well the risks are
being controlled and if you are
achieving your aims
• Treat your H&S systems like a
patient in hospital-monitor their
condition
• Are they healthy?
• If not –diagnose problem through
re-assessment
• Have safety inspections regularly
& record & report outcomes
 PLAN/DO/CHECK/ACT
Review your performance
• Learn from accidents and incidents, ill-health data, errors and relevant
experience

Monitor and review control measures

• What control measures can be taken to eliminate, or, at least minimise the
identified risk?
• How will control measures be assessed and reviewed to ensure they remain
effective?

Take action on lessons learned , including audits and inspection reports -

pay particular attention to:
• Degree of compliance with H&S standards
• Areas where standards inadequate
• Achievement of stated objectives
• Injury, illness, incident data-analysis of immediate, underlying causes,
trends
Hazard Management:
Workplace Incidents
 What is a workplace accident?

An unplanned event which results, or could have resulted, in harm to

people, damage to property or loss to a process.

• Impact on people not limited to injury, but extends to harm

• Accident may cause physical or psychological injury or illness
• Injury and accident are different
• Accident may cause property damage or process loss, but no
personal injury

Human Resources Management in New Zealand, 5e, © Pearson 2010

 Planning the response
• An incident is any unplanned or unexpected event which:
– Has caused injury or harm, or could have caused injury or harm,
to a worker or other person or:
– Has caused damage or loss, or could have caused damage or
loss, to any premises, equipment, stock or other property
– Many organisations include ‘near misses’ in the definition of
incident
– Planning has two main phases:
• the initial response
• the incident investigation and deciding on changes for the future
The initial response

• Determine whether there have been any

injuries or other harm to workers or others and
providing them with first aid and other medical
assistance.
• Ensuring that the incident site is secure (e.g.
that a fire is extinguished or a spillage stopped
and so that no further harm can occur
• Initial response may need to be trained
personnel e.g. first aiders or emergency
personnel
Providing First Aid
and other
assistance
• PCBU’s must provide and
maintain certain first aid
facilities and equipment. In
some circumstances, trained
first aiders must be available
in the workplace.
• First aid requirements are
set out in Regulations under
the Act.
• A record should be made
whenever first aid assistance
is needed, or materials used.
 Notifiable Events
• HASAWA (2015) requires that three kinds of notifiable events
must be reported to WorkSafe. They are:
• A work related death
• A notifiable injury or illness, or
• A notifiable incident
• Procedure: Use the online form to notify an event.
• These records should be kept for at least 5 years
• WorkSafe should also be given at least 24 hours notice before
certain hazardous work is undertaken, using the online form
 Preserve the site

• A PCBU who manages or controls a workplace, where an

event has taken place, must take reasonable steps to
ensure that the site is not disturbed until an authorised
inspector arrives.
Investigate the Incident
• Workplace accidents have a terrible cost –
financial and human (See Rudman Page 235)
• Individuals and organisations risk
prosecution for breaches of the Health and
Safety at Work Act 2015
• Accident Compensation premiums will be
affected by a bad accident record
• It’s simply good management to investigate
the causes and circumstances of accidents,
whether or not it leads to injury, lost time, lost
production, or damage to plant and
equipment.
 Investigate an accident

• Who should investigate?

• Gather all the facts
• Identify all the hazards involved
• Assess the hazard controls in place
• Decide on future actions
• Inform all those affected
• Follow up
600 Misses for Each Serious
Injury
 Enforcement Notices
• Enforcement of HASAWA (2015) is based on a system of
notices. These notices include:
– Provisional improvement notices
– Improvement notices
– Prohibition notices
– Non-disturbance notices
– Suspension notices
• They must be in writing
• They can be delivered or sent by post
 Activity

Each group should read about the type of enforcement notice and
prepare a short presentation on it.
• Group A – PIN
• Group B – Improvement Notice
• Group C – Prohibition Notice
• Group D – Non-disturbance notice
• Group E: Infringement offences
• Group F – Suspension Notice
Mental
Well-being
 Stress Defined
• Stress is a physical & emotional reaction in
response to stimuli
• Stress motivates us to take action
• Two types:
– Eustress: positive stress. Invigorates & energises.
Provides energy to compete. Stomach “butterflies”
– Distress: negative stress. Pressured, feeling sick,
headachy, sour taste in the mouth.
 Work related stress
• Work related stress and fatigue not
only affect productivity, but can also
affect the physical and emotional
health of workers.
• The effects of work-related stress
are becoming an issue for
workplaces and the community,
especially office environments
where workers are experiencing
increased stress related to their
work.
• Often confusion between challenge
and stress in the workplace.
• Challenge can have positive effects
on people, work-related stress is a
work-related health issue that can
pose risks to psychological and
physical health.
Risks of stress to
health

• The effects of work-related stress can vary from

individual to individual. In general work-related
stress is associated with:
– Illness and disease – cardio-vascular
disease and stroke

– Low morale and engagement

– Antisocial behaviours.
– Increased risk of suicide
Workplace
Stress
Activity

• Draw up a list of as
many factors/issues
as possible that may
cause employees
stress in the
workplace.
 Workplace Stress Contributors
Organisational Stressors
Work overload
Work underload
Unrealistic or unachievable
goals
Poor relationships
Unrecognised achievements
Poor rewards
Non-advancement
Bullying and harassment
Personal Stressors
Poor health or tiredness
(self or family)
Personality type
Domestic problems
Financial difficulty
Housing problems (moving)
Inadequate childcare
Substance abuse
Legal issues
 Workplace
Stress
• Factors
Environmental: Noise,
lighting, temperature,
ventilation, fumes,
overcrowding, ergonomics,
canteens
• Job design: Too much work,
too little work, monotonous
or repetitive, role conflicts,
lack of control, lack of
responsibility
• Contractual: Low pay, shift
work, unsocial hours, job
insecurity, unfair systems
• Relationship: Poor
relationships with
colleagues, bosses, workers,
bigotry
Workplace bullying
and Health and
Safety

• Under the new Health and Safety

legislation, employers will still be
required to take reasonable and
practicable steps to provide a safe
working environment by managing
bullying as a workplace hazard and
preventing physical and psychological
harm (including stress) which may
result from bullying.
Activity

• Brainstorm as many
signs that you may see of
someone experiencing
stress in the workplace
 Signs of Stress

• Mood changes: anger, irritability, resentment,

unease, panic, guilt, hopelessness, depression
• Cognitive changes: trouble concentrating, poor
memory, difficulty relaxing, poor thought
processes
• Behaviour changes: more errors, slow work,
more absence, reliance on palliatives
 What can you do?

First always try to eliminate the risk. If this is not possible, then consider minimising the risk.
Suggested control measures include:
• Set achievable demands for your workers in relation to agreed hours of work.
• Match worker’s skills and abilities to job demands;
• Support workers to have a level of control over their pace of work - autonomy
• Develop multi-disciplinary teams to share ideas and perspectives on ways to address
situations.
• Involve workers in decisions that may impact their health and safety, and have processes to
enable workers to raise issues and concerns they might have
• Ensure managers and supervisors have the capability and knowledge to identify,
understand and support workers who may be feeling stressed
• Provide workers with access to independent counselling services
• Have agreed policies and procedures to prevent or resolve unacceptable behaviour.
• Engage and consult with workers before implementing change processes, and ensure they
genuinely have the ability to influence the decisions you make.
• You need to select the most effective controls that are proportionate to the risk, and
appropriate to your work situation.
Employers Dealing With
Stress
• Promote a positive working culture
• Watch for distress in the workplace
• Ensure accurate job sizing
• Minimise physical stressors – eg, set &
ensure break compliance
• Have a workplace H&S Officer, EAP or
Chaplain
• Minimise unpredictability and ambiguity
• Minimise uncontrollable events
• Avoid recurring stresses (more planning!)
• Demonstrate effective people management
practices
• Effective communication
Work-related restorative processes can include:
• The completion of tasks
• The resolution of problems quickly (nipping things in the bud)
• Supportive relationships
• Progress towards worthwhile goals
• The opportunity to do high-quality work
• The prospect of advancement and training.
• Positive Feedback, reward and Recognition
• Thanks
• Respect
• Role modelling good leadership behaviours
• Autonomy
• Job Design
• Good communications
• Consultation and Employee Voice
• Fairness and a juste culture

What good people

management practices
can reduce stress?
 Activity

• Brainstorm as many lifestyle choices that an individual can

make, to improve their own health and well-being
 Employee
strategies to deal
with
Reducing stress
stress is about changing problems
or providing different coping mechanisms:

› Healthy & well-balanced diet

› Exercise regularly
› Mindfulness and meditation
› Eliminate negative thinking
› Set realistic goals, learn to say
no
› Develop work-life balance, don’t
try to fit everything in, take time
out to relax.
 Health & Wellness Programmes

• Employee Assistance Programmes: can cover anything from

counselling on marital problems, budgetary advice, smoking
cessation, massage. Focus is on ‘well people perform well’. A
pre-determined entitlement of annual sessions
• Preventative Care Programmes: provide advice on promoting
good health, diet, alcohol consumption advice, heart &
cholesterol monitoring, gym & swim club memberships part-
subsidised or paid, work time-out for fitness.
Insurance -
ACC
Insurance: Accident Compensation Commission
(ACC)

• NZ created no-fault accident cover for injuries at work and in public

places under the Accident Compensation Act 1974. NZers lost right
to sue. Funded by levies & taxes
• Superseded by the Accident Rehabilitation & Compensation Act
1992, funded by levies, new employer ‘experience-rated’ levy &
taxes
• ACC supports workplace safety development & rehabilitation
programmes, taking a central role
• Employer incentives to improve performance through accident
prevention & safety culture.
 References

• Rudman, R: Human Resources Management in New

Zealand
• Dr Heather McKenzie: Health and Safety at Work Act: A
Practical Guide
• CCH Workforce Manager Toolkit