Presented by: Kirsten Olsen, Massey University at OHSIG 2014, Wednesday 10/9/14, NZI Room 6, 10.45am

1. CErgOSH
The role of internal OHS practitioners in
implementation of ACC’s Workplace Safety
Management Practices (WSMP) Programme
Presented by: Kirsten Olsen
Massey University, Palmerston North

2. CErgOSH
Outline
• What is WSMP?
• Background for the project questions
• Aim of the project
• Method
• The role and tasks of OHS practitioners
• Why organisations join WSMP
• The impact of WSMP
• Conclusions

3. CErgOSH
WSMP programme
Established by ACC: 2000
Purpose:
– to encourage medium-sized employers to maintain good
workplace OHS Management Systems (OHSMS) that should
reduce injuries and injury claims cost (ACC,2014; Legge & Crichton, 2005)
• 2 yearly external audit of the OHSMS
• Aligned with AS:NZS4801:2001
• Three levels of performance
– Primary (10% discount)
– Secondary (15% discount)
– Tertiary (20% discount
(ACC, 2014)

4. CErgOSH
WSMP Audit elements
1. Employer commitment to safety management systems
2. Planning, review and evaluation
3. Hazard identification, assessment and management
4. Information, training and supervision
5. Incident and injury reporting, recording and investigation
6. Employee participation in health and safety management
7. Emergency planning and readiness
8. Protection of employees from work undertaken by contractors
• Workplace observation and focus group

5. CErgOSH
Background
Implementation of Robens type OHS legislation:
1. Establish healthy and safe workplaces
2. Manage Health and Safety in colaboration with employees
3. But what and how?
• It did not work by it self!
• Organisations employed OHS practitioners to help
• OHS interventions to implement OHS Management Systems
(OHSMS)!
• Information (regulations, Approved code of practice and guidelines)
• Enforcement (inspections etc.)
• Incentive:
• Injury Insurance and workers compensation incentive
schemes e.g.: ACC’s WSMP programme

6. CErgOSH
Background
Research question
What makes injury insurance and workers compensation
incentive schemes build on audit of OHSMS work?
- What makes organisations join?
- What role does the OHS practitioner plays in
implementation?
- To what extend do the schemes work?

7. CErgOSH
Background
Programme theory of
Work injury insurance incentive schemes
build on OHSMS audits

8. CErgOSH
Background
Programme theory of WSMP
Mechanisms and arguments for joining:
• Levy discount, - main mechanism,
Large good employers should require
WSMP of their suppliers
Arguments that WSMP:
• will strengthen the existing OHSMS,
• works to reduce injuries,
• is a national framework to work to,
• identifies areas for improvements
• demonstrates OHS commitment
• It does not ensure legal compliance
(ACC 2008)
The audit standard guides performance

9. CErgOSH
Specific aims:
To identify:
a) OHS practitioners’ basic roles in implementation of
WSMP
b) How big a part WSMP related tasks made up of
OHS practitioners’ role during implementation
c) To what extent the economic incentive and other
arguments used to promote the WSMP work
d) To what extend implementation of WSMP improved
OHS

10. CErgOSH
Method
Internet based questionnaire survey Oct. 2013
Population:
• 800 New Zealand Institute for Safety Management &
• 553 Safeguard forum members
Completed questionnaire 203
NZISM
Inclusion criteria:
• internal OHS practitioner (n=200):
Internal OHS
practitioner
safeguard
1) Employed in the organisation before joining WSMP (n= 42, 21%);
2) Employed in the organisation after joining WSMP (n=112, 55%);
3) Employed in organisations considering joining (n=21, 10%);
4) Employed in organisations not considering joining (n=25, 12%).

11. CErgOSH
The role of OHS practitioners in influencing the
organisation to join WSMP (N=63)
I did/do not
have any role ,
24%
Others
suggested and
I supported it,
33%
I suggested it,
44%

12. CErgOSH
Who did OHS practitioners seek support from?
0.29
0.11
0.05
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90
From the trade union(s)
From health and safety representatives
From the health and safety committee
From middle and/or first line manager
From senior management
0.86
0.36
0.18
0.38
0.19
0.10
0.00
Suported the decission (n=21) Suggested to join (n=28)

13. CErgOSH
How big a part was the following activities in relation to
preparing the organisation for WSMP (N=63)
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Write OHS policies and procedures
Documenting OHS management
Influence senior management to support OHS management
Influence other stakeholders to integrate OHS in their areas
Implement processes for obtaining OHS knowledge
Gain support for employee participation from management
Gain support for employee participation from unions/employees
Establish/develop employee participation system
Influence line mangers to conduct hazard management
Help line managers involve employees in hazard management
Involve HS representatives in hazard management
Involve others to undertake OHS induction/training
Conduct OHS induction/training
Establish OHS procedures for contractors
Big part of my role – Part of my role – Little part of my role – Not part of my role –

14. CErgOSH
Practitioners perseption of the importance of
specific reasons for joining WSMP
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Gives an ACC levy discount
Audited national framework to work to
Identifies areas for improvements of OHSM
Assures OHS legal compliance
Shows OHS commitment to business…
Shows OHS commitment to customers
proves commitment to OHS to staff
Helps reduce injuries
Shows OHS commitment to the public.
Requirement from customers
Reduces the likelihood of being inspected
Already in an OHS certification scheme
Quit and very important Important – of littel and not important Don’t know

15. CErgOSH
Percentage of work environment practitioners
perceiving WSMP had positive impact on:
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Wellbeing of employees
Health of employees
Sick leave
Severity of injuries
Injury rates
Exposure to hazards
Work and production processes
management of OHS in practice
OHS management systems
Employees’ ATTITUDE towards OHS
First line mgt's ATTITUDE towards OHS
Middle mgt’s ATTITUDE towards OHS
Senior mgt’s ATTITUDE towards OHS
Employees’ KNOWLEDGE about OHS
First line mgt’s KNOWLEDGE about OHS
Middle mgt’s KNOWLEDGE about OHS
Senior mgt’s KNOWLEDGE about OHS
Danish Working Environment Authority (2002)
Implemented WSMP after I was employed (n=42) Implemented WSMP before I was employed (n=112)

16. CErgOSH
For how many did the part of the
programme theory work ?
83
%
56
%
77
%
45
%
78
%

17. CErgOSH
Conclusion:
• OHS practitioners play an importnt role in implementation of
programmes based on OHSMS audits:
– Establishing OHSMS
– Influencing management and other stakeholders to engage in
OHS
• OHS practitioners that initiated implementation:
– Focused on influencing senior management
– Engaged more stakeholders
• Main mechanism (Levy discount) worked
• Arguments that supported the OHS practitioners role worked:
– Identify areas for further improvements
– A national frame work to work to
• WSMP improved OHSMS and OHS practices (83-77%)
– to a lesser extent reduced OHS risk (56%) and injuries (45%)

18. CErgOSH
References
Accident Compensation Corporation (2008). Measuring your
capabilities in Workplace Safety Management. - ACC Workplace Safety
Management Practices Audit Standards. Wellington: Accident
Compensation Cooperation.
Accident Compensation Corporation (2014). ACC Workplace Safety
Management Practices. Wellington, New Zealand: Accident
Compensation Corporation.
Danish Working Environment Authority (2002). Impact evaluation
strategy of the core activities of Danish Working Environment Authority.
Copenhagen: Danish Working Environment Authority.
Legge, J., & Crichton, S. (2005). Workplace Safety Management
Practice Programme. Data analysis of outcome 2000-2003:
Department of Labour, New Zealand.

19. CErgOSH