Understanding YOUR Employer Health and Safety Responsibilities

After a third successive serious workplace incident in Christchurch recently, it is an important time to highlight the critical need for employers to rigorously evaluate their Health, Safety, and Wellbeing protocols.

Legal Obligations for Employers Under New Zealand Law

It is important to remember in these challenging times that employers in New Zealand are legally required to ensure the health and safety of their workers while at work. This obligation is enshrined in the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, which mandates that employers must identify hazards, assess risks, and implement controls to mitigate those risks. Failure to comply with these legal requirements can result in significant penalties, including fines and imprisonment.

Additionally, employers must keep up-to-date with any changes in health and safety legislation and ensure that their health and safety policies reflect these changes. This includes providing appropriate training and resources to employees to enable them to perform their duties safely.

In the light of the three recent tragic workplace incidents in Christchurch, it is a timely reminder for employers to be considering a review of their Health, Safety and Wellbeing systems:

• Review your Health and Safety Risk Registers to evaluate how well you are identifying workplace hazards and risks and have appropriate control measures in place
• Highlight and prioritize resources to identify Critical Health and Safety Risks that have the potential to cause serious injury or death
• Consult with frontline staff to assess what control measures you need in place to prevent serious injury or death occurring
• Focus efforts on how you might be able to eliminate Critical Health and Safety Risks wherever possible

Here is a useful resource to help you manage Critical Health and Safety Risks: 
Critical Risk Management Improvement Roadmap

Steps to Take After a Workplace Incident

In the unfortunate event of a workplace incident, it is crucial for employers to act promptly. The first step is to ensure that any injured parties receive immediate medical attention. Following this, the incident should be reported to WorkSafe New Zealand as required by law.

An internal investigation should be conducted to determine the cause of the incident and identify any lapses in safety protocols. The findings from this investigation should be used to update and improve the existing health and safety systems to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Promoting Employee Wellbeing and Mental Health

With extra pressures on your teams the added weight of an investigation can be a lot for your team to cope with and it is important to ensure you are looking after the  wellbeing and mental health of employees. These are also integral components of a comprehensive workplace health and safety system. Employers should create an environment where employees feel supported and valued. Promoting a healthy work-life balance, offering access to mental health resources, and fostering a culture of open communication is key.

Regular check-ins with employees to gauge their stress levels and overall wellbeing can help to identify any issues early on. Providing access to counselling services and encouraging the use of annual leave can also contribute to maintaining a healthy and productive workforce.

Business Canterbury has a number of learning and development options for you and your team enhance your Health and Safety, contact us to discuss your needs.

HR/Thrive members can download this these free member resources:

• Stress and Fatigue
• Work and Life Balance

And we also have a Workplace Health and Safety Policy Template available for purchase on our Shopify store.

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