Welcome to our March Newsletter. In it, we bring a digest of safety and health information that is most likely to be of interest in developing and maintaining successful safety systems, with particular emphasis on ACC, audits, OSH rules and regulations, Training and keeping abreast of current trends.
If you would like another person to have the opportunity to receive this, please forward it onto them so that they can subscribe. If you wish to unsubscribe, click here.
In this edition:
- Safety Humour
Two new videos: Warning: "The Spitfire" contains language some people may find offensive.
A few new safety pics - including that car off the wharf series that's been doing the rounds.A word of explanation: Many pictures and videos have been received but cannot be displayed on our website. The rationale used is that the material has to be funny in its own right but if there is reason to suspect that any form of suffering was involved, it will not be published. Irreverent, not gratuitous is the order of the day.
- A few new pictures
- A couple of great video clips
- Send a safety humour story, anecdote, picture or video -
Subscriptions
It's always nice to receive subscriptions to this free newsletter, even if most of you are so shallow that you're only interested in the Humour Pages. Shame on you!We'd like to say hello and thanks to a few recent subscribers: Ananth Krishnan from India, Jim Bartok, NSW, Australia, Joe Aid from Missouri, USA and Corina Mathie, NZ. There were many others.
This month's featured subscriber: Clive Taylor, from the UK, who says he was in NZ in 1965 and "do people still wear those funny walk shorts?" No, Clive, not in Auckland. Now, Waipukurau, that's different . . . I think they still have stocks of Brylcreem there too.
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Australia: Mining groups launch health and safety test case
It is feared a landmark legal appeal by owners of two Australian mines could change the country's occupational health and safety laws if successful. Swiss company Xstrata, which now owns the Gretley Mine near Newcastle, NSW, has filed papers with the New South Wales Court of Appeal for a test case that could stop employers facing criminal liability for workplace death and injury. The appeal is in regard to a prosecution last year against employees of the company. The men were not employees of Xstrata at the time of the accident. [ more ]
- Is the big stick working for OH&S regulators?
Talking about fines and penalties, we found an interesting article about this in an Australian web publication known as Ferret (ferret.com.au).Apparently, state safety authorities have opted for a "big stick" approach to compliance by introducing punitive fines and custodial sentences for directors and officers, where serious injury or death occurs. In New Zealand, the HSE Amendment Act raised fines by five times the previous maximum, to $500,000 and/or 2 years imprisonment.
New evidence from the UK suggests that the Big Stick alone may not work.
[ more ]
- Work starts on Web based safety management system:
In our last two newsletters, we have profiled "SafetyBase", our proposed web based safety management system that provides an interactive environment to achieve all 3 ACC compliance levels PLUS NZS 4801.
Thanks to those of you who expressed interest and also those who volunteered to participate in the testing, which is expected in April or May.
Work has now commenced. If you are looking for a truly creative and intuitive OHS management system, please have a think about this one. [ more ]
Check out the details and specifications
This is a leading edge development that will result in a leap forward in e-based safety systems. Marketing will be worldwide. Register your interest now.
- Four great ways to keep abreast of safety developments:
We profile four easily accessible resources for people who are keen to stay in touch with occupational health and safety discussions, news, events and trends,:- Google alerts (neat and clever)
- Safe NZ discussion forum (can be quirky)
- OSH What's New page (reliable)
- Our own Systems For Business Links Page (what can we say?)}
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You've had a holiday, recharged your batteries and put out the first few "fires" of the year. Among a number of systems for which you are responsible is the safety system. Is it still effective? Even if you are one of those rare employers who have successfully integrated safety into the fabric of the organisation, it will need refreshing and rejuvenating. Without some TLC, the system will quickly become a white elephant, costing you more than it's worth.
How can you breathe life into your safety system?
- Coming Safety Events:
- New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards - Enter & win!
The Department of Labour and Safeguard are running a national awards initiative called the "New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards". The awards will be presented at Manukau City on 5 May 2005. There are nine award categories, chosen to provide recognition for the health and safety achievements of individuals and teams in organisations of all sizes and types across the country.
More details and award categories.
- New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards - Enter & win!
- Worksafe Expo 4-6 May. This is New Zealand's premier safety exhibition and includes workshops and topical seminars. Entry to the exhibits is free. This year, for the first time, the venue is changing to the brand new Telstra Clear Pacific Events Centre at Manukau City. You can expect a good cross section of health and safety providers, from equipment suppliers, to advisors, software suppliers and services such as health care and massage.
We will be demonstrating our "SafetyBase" web based management system. Hope to see you there.
Mining groups launch health and safety test case
Xstrata are seeking a review of the findings of the Industrial Relations Commission on 9 August 2004 that they were guilty of breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 .
These charges arose out of the tragic accident at the Gretley Mine in November 1996 which resulted in the deaths of four men who drilled into flooded disused workings and were drowned.
A similar claim has also been lodged by Centennial Coal.
The dean of law at the University of Sydney, Ron McCallum, says if the mining companies win, the effects on occupational health and safety law will be significant.
"The arguments really attack the nature of the criminal offences under these statutes, which will have a broad impact," he said.
"The statements of claim also attack the capacity of the New South Wales Industrial Commission to hear these types of cases.
"In some ways it's an attack on the use of the criminal law as a regulatory tool."
Tony Maher, General President of the CFMEU's Mining and Energy Division, said that if Xstrata and Centennial Coal were successful in their applications it would invalidate prosecutions for criminal negligence.
"These companies are attempting to exonerate employees who kill people at work. They are seeking to exempt themselves from laws that apply to everyone else in the community. If successful, their appeals would have wide implications on the application of criminal laws throughout the whole of Australia."
Mr Maher accused the companies of dicing with miners' lives and called on both Xstrata and Centennial Coal to meet directly with its employees and explain their motives to them.
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The scoping phase is now complete and a work spec developed and agreed. The web designer has done a fantastic job of understanding the concept and providing a rationale for hosting it. The name is SafetyBase ®
Features will include:
- A "dashboard" screen, showing current status of your injuries, meetings, reviews and critical events
- A task list for your users, detailing agreed safety tasks, dependent on role and level within your organisation
- Innovative website type display, with a unique way of associating your related events while in any input or information screen. No navigating endlessly to find related topics!
- E-mail reminders for your regular safety tasks and the ability to reassign or reschedule
- Prompts to ensure you place events you are managing on the agenda of the next safety meeting
- Content Management System, so that specific procedures and legislative requirements associated with your tasks are available at the click of a mouse
- Great database and report facility
- Download library area
- Four optional levels of attainment: ACC Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, plus the "top drawer" full AS/NZS 4801. You choose the level and when to progress
- Full Implementation Guide, Audit Survival Guide and OHS Procedures Manual
This system is shortly to become a reality. If you wish to register an interest in viewing it, please click here.
if you are willing to participate in the testing and proving phase, click here.
Testing participants will receive a complimentary membership for one year.
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Four great ways to keep abreast of safety developments:
Here they are:
- Google alerts: Go to http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en and register. We used a bit of trial and error before getting the best out of it. To learn a few tricks and view some examples of recent articles reported by Google, click here.
- Safe NZ discussion forum: Go to http://www.safeguard.co.nz to register. A bit like talkback radio without a host, although the moderator sometimes pops up to smack bums. There are a few ground rules and hints for making it work. See our web article.
- OSH What's New Page: Don't expect lively and controversial stuff from Auntie OSH but this is where good solid NZ info will (eventually) appear. (Probably after being cleared by 5 sub committees). It's where we found out about the New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards. To check out the page, go to www.osh.dol.govt.nz. But don't check daily. Monthly would do.
- Our own Systems For Business Links Page: A researched collection of links to relevant sites. Includes one selected page per site that may have something of current relevance or interest. Go to www.safetypro.co.nz. Please advise any broken links as the addresses do change from time to time.
Do you have some good ways to stay informed? Send us your own ideas
Read the full article >>
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Is the big stick working for OH&S regulators?
According to the UK Health and Safety Executive's Health and Safety Statistics Highlights 2003/04, the number of workplace deaths is growing, even though the number of prosecutions has increased over the past 12 months and the courts are imposing stiffer fines for OH&S breaches.
Last year, 235 workers suffered fatal work injuries in the UK, compared to 227 in the previous year, an increase of 4%. Around half those deaths occurred in the construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing industries.
But while the numbers of deaths may have increased, the UK Health and Safety Executive claims that a campaign in the construction, mining and manufacturing industries has resulted in fewer major injuries. Does this suggest information, education and supervision work better than prosecution? The HSE for one has decided to continue its program to promote prevention of injury, rather than only focusing attention and resources on prosecution of breaches.
Full article : http://www.ferret.com.au/articles/ac/0c029cac.asp
Stop Press! Just as we were getting this Newsletter to publication, another very relevant article arrived courtesy of Google Alerts. This one does your soul good. It questions the stupid, politically correct "risk averse" society we are in. The encouraging thing about this one is that it's the public servants themselves who are saying it. See http://news.ft.com/cms/s/0fa39e20-83ad-11d9-bee3-00000e2511c8.html
Send feedback[ Return to Top ]
Breathing life into your safety system
In a nutshell, it's about relevance and continuous progress. All systems need to be dynamic and will not survive if they are left going round and round the same track with the battery running down.
Start with an assessment of the broader picture. Things like independent audits, hearing public, supplier, customer or employee expectations, being aware of trends and indicators.
Then, move on to specifics, such as critical events or accidents that required actions, role changes or performance issues, new legislation, codes and standards, health monitoring issues or refresher training needs.
Pull all this together into a set of SMART plans and objectives. Follow through with the Safety Committee to ensure it is focused and resourced to achieve these. Review progress on a regular basis. Take a personal interest in the priorities.
Finally, listen carefully and have the courage to spend a bit of money or make an effort on issues that employees see as important. If you want them to be part of the solution, you have to let them solve some of the problems.
Need help with Safety Systems?[ Return to Top ]
New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards
The award categories are:
- Best productivity gain from a health and safety initiative.
- Best initiative to improve employee health and wellness.
- Health and safety practitioner of the year.
- Most influential employee in championing health and safety.
- Best system to encourage employee involvement in health and safety.
- Best health and safety management system.
- Best design or technology initiative demonstrating effective responses to health and safety issues.
- Best health and safety initiative by a small business.
- Best health and safety leadership by an industry or industry body.
From these winners, the judges will select one overall champion. The judging panel includes representatives from Safeguard, the Department of Labour's occupational safety and health service, ACC, NZCTU and industry.
Entries for the awards close on 31 March 2005. Category winners receive a trophy and certificate, and details of a package for the overall winner will be announced shortly. Entry forms and full details on how to enter are on the Safeguard website at www.safeguard.co.nz or you can contact Annette Vao - phone 09 360 3712 - to register your interest.
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