Specific Focus Area Four survey questions

In what ways have you interacted with WorkSafe or another work health and safety regulator?

Of the 246 respondents that answered this question:

• Most reported they interacted through education and training materials, online and published information and resources, workplace visits (e.g. inspections and follow up activity), queries to the regulator and notifications (e.g. of incidents or high-risk activities).
• Many reported public campaigns (e.g. social media, appearance at events, applications for licences, certificates, or exemptions, or interactions with regulatory tools (e.g. safe work instruments online).
• A few reported interactions through registering equipment.

When asked whether they got what they needed from these sources, those respondents reporting an interaction with specific sources answered as follows. Where respondents answered ‘yes’ (rather than ‘yes completely’, ‘partially’ or ‘no’) we have included these with ‘yes completely’ responses:

Did you get what you needed from education and training materials:

• Some answered yes completely
• Most answered yes partially
• Few answered no

Did you get what you needed from online and published information and resources

• Some answered yes completely
• Most answered yes partially
• Few answered no

Did you get what you needed from workplace visits

• Some answered yes completely
• Many answered yes partially
• Some answered no

Did you get what you needed from public campaigns

• Many answered yes completely
• Some answered yes partially
• Many answered no

Did you get what you needed from queries to the regulator

• Some answered yes completely
• Many answered yes partially
• Many answered no

Did you get what you needed from applications for licences, certificates, or exemptions

• Many answered yes completely
• Many answered yes partially
• Some answered no

Did you get what you needed from registering equipment

• Many answered yes completely
• Some answered yes partially
• Many answered no

Did you get what you needed from notifications

• Many answered yes completely
• Many answered yes partially
• Some answered no

Did you get what you needed from interactions with regulatory tools

• Many answered yes completely
• Many answered yes partially
• Some answered no

Would you describe your interactions with the regulator as useful, reasonable, and timely?

Of the 208 respondents answering this question:

• Most (52%) responded negatively (neither useful, reasonable or timely, or that a positive experience depended on the inspector). The reasons for these responses were:
  • Many - poor sector-specific knowledge
  • Some - poor people skills, disproportionate requirements and not making time available
• Many (40%) responded positively (useful, reasonable or timely – or all of these), with those responding indicating that this is due to:
  • Many - good sector-specific knowledge
  • Some - good people skills, proportionate requirements and making time available

Which third parties authorised by the regulator or regulations have you interacted with?

The 180 respondents that answered this question noted that they interacted with the following third-parties:

• Many interacted with auditors, compliance certifiers, assessors or inspection personnel
• Some interacted with licencing bodies
• Few interacted with others or none

Most responded positively when asked (thinking of their most recent interaction) whether they received what was needed to comply with work health and safety obligations, and whether their interactions were useful, reasonable, and timely. Some responded negatively.

Do you know what consequences you would face for not complying with your work health and safety obligations? Do you think these consequences are appropriately balanced and reasonable?

• Most of the 211 respondents considered they knew the consequences, with a few only partially understanding or not understanding the consequences.
• Many considered the consequences to be generally balanced and reasonable, with some considering them to be partially balanced and reasonable.
• Many considered the scale of penalties in relation to actions to be disproportionate, with some considering the threshold of penalties to actions to be disproportionate.
• Some considered that penalties were too high, and some too low.

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