Workplace Safety and "Nanny State"

We often hear people bleating about ‘Nanny State.’ But when it comes to safety at work, the ‘Nanny State’ argument sounds like an excuse for being slack.
Let’s look at some workplace accidents that have recently been in the news:

A contractor, trying to measure, handle and attach lengths of spouting 13.5 metres long, fell from his ladder.  He fractured his skull, broke 5 ribs, his nose, his left eye socket and his wrist - as well as cracking his cheek bone and suffering severe internal bruising. The company was fined $55,000 and ordered to pay reparations of $30,000 to the injured contractor.

A quarryman stepped from a work platform on to a crusher and slipped, hittitn his head on a shed as he fell at least 3.6 metres to the ground.  He fractured his skull, neck, back and ribs in the fall.  There were no barriers on the side of the crusher where the employee fell.  The company was fined $28,000 and ordered to pay $20,000 in reparations.

A Vietnamese tourist was sitting in the front seat of a bus when a wheel, which had come off a truck, smashed through the bus windscreen and struck him in the head.  He was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries.  The truck repairer was fined $5,000 and ordered to pay $68,582 in reparations over the death.

Should it take a serious injury, death or a hefty fine to make employers as well as employees take some responsibility for health and safety?

While some argue that each individual should be responsible for their own safety, it’s not always practicable. For example, would you expect a labourer, or even a skilled quarryman to have their own sophisticated fall protection gear? Probably not. The only way they can look after their own safety is to refuse work that is inherently unsafe.

And this is where our society needs ‘Nanny State.” Looking at workplace accidents, it is obvious some companies are all too willing to take risks in the mistaken idea profits will be more substantial if they do not waste time, money and energy on health and safety initiatives.

But sometimes even ‘Nanny State’ gets it wrong. You only have to listen to the Pike River Mine interviews to see what happens when workplaces are not regularly inspected. It seems we can’t leave safety up to individual organisations.

Interestingly enough, companies that take safety seriously find their safety management pays for itself, by pretty well guaranteeing a big reduction in lost time injuries as well as having reduced ACC levies. And this doesn’t take into account peace of mind, knowing that each day isn’t a ticking time bomb waiting for that serious harm accident to happen.