Marie Boland - SafeWork SA - Challenges of a modern work health and safety regulator – dealing with the changing face of work, the increase in psychosocial injuries and the tension

safe, fair, productive working lives

South Australian Safety Symposium 2016

Challenges of a Modern Work Health and Safety Regulator

Marie Boland

Executive Director, SafeWork SA

17 May 2016


• Transforming Work Health and Safety

Performance

• Challenges - Current Perceptions

• The Regulator

• The Educator

• Changing face of work/psychological health

• Questions?

Overview


• Paper released by the Attorney-General (April 2015)

Transforming WHS Performance


• 8 Focus Groups

• Construction

• Manufacturing

• Accommodation and Food Services

• Agriculture

• Road Transport

• Health Care and Social Assistance

• Public Administration

• Top 100 SA Businesses

Challenges - Current Perceptions


• Reactive not Proactive

• Unwilling to provide advice

• Inconsistent

• Lacking credibility

• Lacking industry knowledge

• Unwilling to use discretion

• Enforcing paperwork

Challenges - Current Perceptions


• Traditionally there are two key strategies regulators

adopt for preventing workplace injuries

• Enforcement

• Education

• Where should a modern Regulator be focusing its

resources?

No Surprises?


The new SafeWork SA

Executive Director

EDUCATORDirector, Workplace Education

and Business Services

REGULATORChief Inspector, Compliance

and Enforcement

Office of the Executive Director


The RegulatorExecutive Director

EDUCATORDirector, Workplace Education

and Business Services

REGULATORChief Inspector, Compliance and

Enforcement

Manager Primary Industries, Resources , Country

Compliance and Engineering

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing

Mining and Quarries

Country Compliance

Engineering

Manager Manufacturing, Wholesale , Transport and

Utilities

Manufacturing

Wholesale

Transport

Utilities

Manager Construction

Construction

Authorisation

Manager Dangerous Substances

Dangerous Substances

Manager Community , Retail & Business Services

Community

Retail

Business Services

Work Environment and Workplace Relations

Manager Investigation

Investigations

Investigations Support



• Recruitment and Training

• Transparent Reporting

• Enforcing Safety Outcomes

• Consistent and Accountable

The Regulator


The EducatorExecutive Director

EDUCATORDirector, Workplace Education and

Business Services

Manager Customer Services

Licensing Services

Information Services

Resource Centre

Information Services

Help Centre

Manager Workplace Advisory Services

Workplace Advisory Services

Industry Advisory Services

Manager Communication and Education Services

Education and Sponsorships

Digital Communication

Regulation and Media

REGULATORChief Inspector, Compliance and

Enforcement



• Resource Centre

• Workplace Advisory Services

• Industry Advisory Services

• Website

The Educator


• Manage current perceptions

• Increased knowledge of industry trends

• Risk based compliance and education planning

• Quality Assurance and Review

• Activity and Visibility

• Open and Accountable

• Partnerships

What will the changes achieve?


• WHS Framework

• Labour Hire/Supply Chains

• Casualisation of work force

• Emerging industries - Uber/NDIS

• Economic Downturns

• Health means ‘psychological health’

Changing Face of Work


‘I want to establish a system where employers,

workers and the community know who to turn to if they

need help in relation to the prevention of workplace

injuries and who to turn to if they require access to

strong enforcement of the laws and justice if the laws

have been breached’.

Attorney-General, April 2015

Conclusion