A simple and practical guide to NZ Health and Safety

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 ...

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 ...

         Are you a competent risk taker? Is it a straight yes or no type question? I don't know, but I wanted to find out. During a discussion with a colleague earlier this year he left me with some parting words which have stuck in my mind for some time, and that is the the theory of 'competent risk taking'. This  theory leaves me feeling fascinated and confused. I really do like it.  Thinking of my son aged 7 (pictured above), I can't dare not ask the question... are we not all competent risk takers? We all start taking risks at such an early age. I mean everything we do is about the 'severity of the consequence' vs. 'the likelihood of that consequence' (even though we not not consciously be saying that).  So thought I was best to start at the beginning, by breaking the words down; competent adjective having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully. risk This is not a board game! According to the ' International Or...