Over the course of this month we’ve put a spotlight on workplace health and safety (WHS) as part of National Safe Work Month. We’ve delved into strategies for managing WHS risks, and taken a look at some specific physical and psychosocial hazards as they relate to different workplaces. 

But the impacts of workplace injuries and illness are not limited to the workplace or even the industry in which they occur. There are flow-on effects for families, social groups, and the community at large. The economic implications resonate at a national level. 

That’s why the fourth and final week of National Safe Work Month has the theme “safe and healthy work for all”. According to Safe Work Australia this is about “making WHS core to how we do business in Australia”. It acknowledges WHS is a collective and ongoing effort, and highlights a need to consider WHS needs not just for the present, but also the future of work. 

WHS in the gig economy

Safe Work Australia highlights two relatively recent features of the current work landscape that present a challenge for WHS. They are:

• The gig economy, enabled by the rise of peer to peer (P2P) platforms 
• The increased normalisation of working from home 

Their gig economy resources largely focus on the food delivery industry, advising that “platforms and food outlets must do whatever is reasonably practicable to ensure the health and safety of their workers” (which includes delivery riders/drivers). 

Of course the gig economy is increasingly widespread and impactful across a range of industries, not just food delivery. A 2018 CSIRO report identified it as one of six mega-trends likely to shape the future of work (more on that below). According to the report it could “fundamentally shift employment patterns and structures [to] where freelance task-based work is common”. 

The report therefore identifies a pressing need to consider: 

• whether existing WHS laws, regulations and codes of practice adequately cover the gig economy; 
• what the obligations are of platforms in relation to workers’ comp and whether they are adequate; and 
• whether gig workers know about their WHS responsibilities and compensation entitlements. 

WHS for workers at home 

Employers also have a duty to protect the physical and mental health and safety of employees who work either wholly or partly at home. Further to this, as remote and hybrid work arrangements become not only common but also expected by many employees, it is important that WHS regulation and codes of practice keep pace. 

Things to consider from a physical health and safety perspective include ensuring that: 

• workstations are conducive to good posture, 
• walkways are clear of tripping hazards, 
• lighting is adequate to prevent eye strain, and 
• the worker takes regular breaks to stand up and move around. 

It is also important to remove or minimise factors that affect psychosocial (mental) health. Psychosocial hazards for remote or hybrid workers include things like isolation from colleagues and work-related stress from working long hours, not taking breaks, or failing to manage workloads. 

Hybrid work arrangements are often pitched as promoting “work-life balance”, and in many cases they do. However, the reverse can be true if the boundary between work and personal becomes blurred. Good communication between managers and workers goes a long way to keeping the “balance” in work-life balance. 

Even better is to put in place policies and procedures that provide a solid WHS foundation for those who are working from home. Consulting with workers about what form these should take is imperative. Best practice will vary from business to business and even worker to worker, so policies and procedures should be designed in a way that is not one-size-fits-all but can be adapted to the particular needs of individuals. This can help maximise their productivity and engagement as well as protect their physical and mental health. 

The future of work and WHS 

Of course the gig economy and working from home are only two factors shaping the future of work. Throw into the mix rapid advances in technologies such as automated systems and robotics, artificial intelligence, and virtual and augmented reality, and you have the ingredients for a radically transformed employment landscape. 

The above-mentioned CSIRO report combines these factors into six mega-trends it sees as likely to fundamentally affect the nature of work in Australia: 

1. The extending reach of automated systems and robotics 
2. Rising issue of workplace stress and mental health issues 
3. Rising screen time, sedentary behaviour and chronic illness 
4. Blurring the boundaries between work and home 
5. The gig and entrepreneurial economy 
6. An ageing workforce 

Each of these brings with it its own WHS considerations and challenges. As such, it’s important to plan ahead, understanding the evolving nature of work in Australia, and being prepared and agile enough to ensure WHS regulation and practice anticipate and adapt to this evolution. 

“While change is inevitable, future destinations are not,” states the report. “Individuals, communities, companies, and governments can identify and implement transition pathways … to achieve better outcomes.” 

Ultimately it will be a collective effort to make sure in Australia we really do achieve safe and healthy work for all, now and into the future. 

Bayside Group holds ISO 45001 certification for OHS and provides workplace safety management services for our on-hired employment and workforce management services. Contact us today to find out how we can assist you.