Health & Safety Update for Schools: Separating Myth from Reality

The regulator expects zero incidents

• WorkSafe does not expect perfection. It expects continuous improvement and a proactive mindset.
• It expects any organisation to learn from what goes right and from what goes wrong, and whether it is improving.

We've never had an incident - so we must be doing fine

Prosecutors commonly refer to this as pure luck. The absence of reported incidents does not mean the absence of risk. It can often indicate blind spots. Blind spots hide in the "all good" reporting.

We'll be excused because we're stretched thin and have competing priorities

• The regulator does not give schools a pass because they are busy. In fact, schools face some of the highest expectations precisely because they are responsible for children and young people.
• Being deliberate about health and safety is not optional. If health and safety is not prioritised, that is what the regulator will focus on.
• The regulator does not expect schools or their Board to be health and safety experts. It does expect them to recognise when expert help is needed and to engage it.

Something went wrong or someone raised a concern - we need to fix everything right now

• Knee-jerk reactions rarely make things safer. They can create the appearance of action without addressing the underlying risk.
• Building an effective health and safety system takes time, critical thinking, and expert help. The regulator understands this.
• What schools are expected to do is think carefully about the risks that affect them and put in place genuine, workable controls for their workers and students. Slow down, think it through, and do it intentionally. Engage subject matter experts to help.