• Should risk registers be signed off by workers?
    I find it helpful to invite our workers to a coffee meeting, either in a group or individually dependant on how available they are/workflow etc. I have a printed version of the current risk register with me, and we go through the different risks, the level of importance they believe our current work creates, any updates, changes, modifications in the past 12 months. It opens up discussion and shows me where we may have gaps and need further updating and information. I ask the workers to sign an attendance sheet to show they have been part of the consultation. Changes and updates are then discussed at team meetings which opens up further discussions. The updated risk register forms the basis of our JSA forms that the team use before they start a job. Their feedback underpins the changes in the daily risk management process that they use on a day-to-day basis. Conversations around the risks in the register are great indicators of understanding rather than just relying on written rules and procedures.
  • Mental Health / Wellbeing Policy
    Hi Brook,
    There are excellent resources both on the WorkSafe NZ and MHF websites regarding stress, mental health and wellbeing information. The MHF has a toolkit called the 5 ways to wellbeing which is really helpful:
    https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/home/our-work/category/42/five-ways-to-wellbeing-at-work-toolkit

    When you think about the key parts to include, I would ask the audience. Put a survey out to your workforce and get their feedback on what they think is important or needed in your work environment to support their health which includes mental wellbeing. Include space for workers to elaborate if they want to offer more than multi-choice answers. It is a huge subject and when we worked on it, we found that home affects work, and work affects home and you don't just leave your home life at the workplace door. So we encouraged workers to seek EAP if they were experiencing home stressors as well as offering it as work support.

    best regards
    Suzanne