A simple and practical guide to NZ Health and Safety

So now we know  what to expect when we move to Alert Level 2. While there is still some detail to work through, there are some very key expectations set. I have already started receiving phone calls from businesses still waiting to re-open and those already opening wanting to know what it means for them. So here are my thoughts. Physical distancing is still in.  But at Alert Level 2 it needs to be 1 metre in a workplace. If you have already invested time and money into making it 2 metres, you can just leave it. But be consistent in your workplace. Remain contactless if you can. Great to also see some provision to avoid hairdressers cutting hair on poles. Contact tracing is a must.  This is as much a moral obligation to help the team of 5 million as it is a specific requirement. There are some great free tools out there. Get in touch if you want to know which ones they are. Personal hygiene should still be top of mind.  Make sure you have plenty of s...

It is about managing risks. That is one of the primary requirements intended by the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. For me it should be the foundation of any organisation.  Having blogged about risk before, I don’t want to be seen to be repeating myself. I do however feel it is important that when discussing risk we are all on the same page.  Risk is not a hazard. Hazards create risk. Something I felt needed to be cleared up.  For years people have debated over the definition of risk, and I have no intention of adding fuel to that fire.  But we (the Health and Safety Profession) all agree. When considering risk we need to consider two things.  The likelihood of an event occurring, and  The severity of the consequence  Now that we are all on the same page with traditional risk considerations, might I be so bold as to add a third consideration?  The benefits  Now I hear you all say... “the benefits of risk, risk ...

Risk it is a four letter word, yet a word within safety circles that causes so much tension and can be the fuel to many heated debates. 'The effect of uncertainty on objectives' - International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) ' Risk is the chance, high or low, of somebody being harmed by the hazard, and how serious the harm could be.' - Health and Safety Executive (HSE) A quick search would lead people to a number of definitions of this four letter word, as illustrated above. After numerous discussions with some very educated people what I have managed to deduce is that; We will never agree on the definition of risk We all seem to believe that when assessing risk we need to consider two broad (I use the word broad intentionally) things; Risk = Consequence x Likelihood But that is not what I am here to look at. What I am here to try have you reflect on is... 'Are we doing more damage to risk in the way we manage, speak and educate about it ...

Reflecting on the recent Francie incident (I use this word intentionally) it got me thinking. Am I a team player when it comes to safety?  Shifting through the archives of my memory I draw on the conclusion I am possibly not.  A harsh reality to contemplate. But they do say the truth is always hardest to bear.  Why not I hear you say? Well I like to think I play well with others. I like to think I engage with others on safety initiatives. I like to think I follow all safety instructions when provided.  So why don't I think I am a team player? Well how many times had I seen some unsafe acts and walked passed. How many times did I tell myself... 'not my issue' when I knew they could be doing it better.  When I was in business, the sad truth was if a competitor had an incident outwardly it would be all 'thoughts are with'. But inwardly thinking how could I capitalize on their mistake? What could I get out of it? Now that is not being a team play...

We have just experienced the end of daylight savings here in New Zealand and as I  adjust to the short days and dark nights that now await us, I find myself reflecting on a summer that was well ... just grand. The highlight for me was the purchasing of a grand old canvas family tent which would allow the family and I to embark on many adventures for years to come. Embark we did ... out the blocks with two camping trips under our belt already. We are going places. Now as the reflections from my grand summer swirl around in this head of mine and I wonder down the well formed path of safety professionals before me aiming to deliver inspirational training and sound advice. These two worlds collide. And I get it! Wouldn't it be great if we managed safety like we were camping? Trip number 1 , sees us off shortly after New Years. Trailer in tow and a weather forecast which would see most stay at home. After over four hours in the car and countless ' are we there yet's ...

Does creating a culture of safety mean getting rid of the 'ol number 8 wire'? This is a general 'fear', 'concern' or misconception I come across on a regular basis when talking to people about health and safety.  Before we can answer that question, we should look at three things, what is 'culture'?, what is 'safety'? and what exactly is the 'ol number 8 wire'? Culture  is defined in many ways by people. However a couple definitions that resonate with me are   ' Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. In this case 'safety' By Kim Ann Zimmerman The  Center for Advance Research on Language Acquisition  goes a step further, defining culture as shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs and understanding that are learned by socialization. Thus, it can be seen as the growth of a group ...