I have to admit to being seriously worried. Something’s happening in our workplaces where some employers have decided that health and safety is a “nice to have” rather than an essential part of our duty as a society to ensure workers are safe when they go to work.
The recent tragedies at Pike River Mine and the Tamahere Cool Store Fire have highlighted a culture and attitude to workplace safety that I hoped we had left behind. There are real horror stories emerging and I understand there is worse to come.
I have been at pains to say that Labour didn’t do everything it should have done in relation to Pike River Mine, but I think the situation has deteriorated further under this government and the so-called leadership of Minister Kate Wilkinson.
Health and Safety enforcement in the Department of Labour has been systematically run down. The Department is struggling and it’s led to the axing of two crucial roles – chief advisor in Health and Safety, and chief advisor Occupational Health who have been replaced by junior information officer positions in the DOL call centre.
There are now simply not enough OSH staff to enforce regulations or to carry out prosecutions. Training for workplace health and safety representatives, who are a key part of our health and safety system has been slashed as well, with ACC Minister Nick Smith describing the roles as ‘touchy, feely, nice to have’. He’s banking on the introduction of ACC “experience ratings”, which provide financial incentives to employers to reduce accidents – but he’s ignored international evidence (and for that matter, our own) that this is just rubbish. It’s not a prevention strategy, it’s a cover-up plan.
Time and again, I’ve been hearing contemptuous comments about the role of employee participation in health and safety. This is despite international research showing that workers who are engaged, active and vigilant help reduce accidents and injury.
Our erstwhile Minister says health and safety is an employers responsibility, so she’s set up a CEO forum who apparently, after a year’s work, have come up with – guess what – a strategic plan! Sure, CEOs need to take leadership on this issue, but let’s be honest – they are not the ones who face losing their lives or serious injury where there is systemic failure in workplace health and safety.
The government, through its cuts to Health and Safety expertise and training for workplace representatives have sent a very clear signal to employers which many are now embracing. Health and Safety, with employee participation is “nanny state” and a “compliance cost”.
As I said, I’m seriously worried.
