Why Brian Gaynor needs to rethink his view on HSE

Get it Right and Get Employed! sarah

I had already drafted a rant in my head in response to Brian Gaynor’s article and view on HSE posted a few weeks ago Brian Gaynor: Red tape tying business in knots (FYI, he wrote a similar line of whinge back in 2002 Brian Gaynor: A fine line between cost and safety). However, Nicole Rosie the CEO of WorksafeNZ beat me to it: Nicole Rosie: Workplace death toll must be cut, (incidentally, I worked with Nicole back in Tranz Rail/ Toll Rail days and I was more than a little happy that she is now heading WorksafeNZ).

 

What did Brian Gaynor Say?

Gaynor basically wrote a diatribe about how red tape was tying responsible companies in knots, and that Directors had ‘big stuff’ to focus on:

  • HSE is a tick box token exercise
  • It’s compliance focused (butt covering)
  • We (Directors) have better/more important things to think about

 

What did Nicole Rosie Say?

  • HSE is ‘Big Stuff’’
  • Effective HSE is about creating sustainable business
  • “For a small enterprise, it’s hard to imagine anything more catastrophic than a workplace death”
  • Directors need to focus on critical risks, this includes: Economic, Financial and things that could kill their workers

 

What does Safety Girl Say about HSE?

Directors do not have to be safety experts; they simply need to ask good questions. For example, a Director is not expected to be insurance broker; however, they are expected to ask if company assets are insured.

Good questions for Directors to ask ”How do we… ”

  1.  Make sure our safety management system and risk register are up to date?
  2.  Train our people to do their job safely?
  3.  Resource our people to do their job safely? (time & equipment)
  4.  Report and investigate incidents?
  5.  Develop emergency management plans and practice them?
  6.  Communicate with our people and ask for their opinion (engagement)?

 

If it’s all too hard for the good ‘ol boys’ (Gaynor included) to get their heads around, maybe it’s time for them to retire and let the new generation take over, so they and their people can get home safely.

I’ll now put my soap box and put my view on HSE back in the closet, and do some real work.

Have a safe and productive week.

SB

 

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