‘Creating Good Work Through Effective Design’

Speaker’s Name: Janice Batt- Safe Work AustraliaStream: Health and Safety Combined

Safe Work Australia

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Impetus for change

• Changing work environment• Legal requirements• Global, regional, local and

organisational drivers for change – downsizing, restructuring, new

ITC systems, retooling, refurbishing……

• Community expectations

Australian WHS Strategy 2012-2022

To drive key national activities to improve work health and safety

Action Areas

Design & management of work, work processes and

systems of work to eliminate or minimise

hazards and risksDesign of structures, plant and substances to

eliminate or minimise hazards and risks before they are introduced into the workplace

Work Design

Who really designs work?

Those who decide • what is done and why, where, when and how

work is done• organisational goals, building location and

design, workstations, structure and staffing, shifts, ITC systems etc.

• what workplace goods and services are purchased

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work is “the content and organizing of tasks, activities, relationships, and responsibilities within a job or role” Parker, 2014

healthy and safe work where the hazards and risks created by the work are eliminated

(or minimised so far as is reasonably practicable) and

where the work design optimises human performance, job satisfaction and

productivity.

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Good work is….

Types of work design

↘ An intervention for an individual ↘ “Job crafting”

↘ RTW programme↘ Reasonable adjustment

versus

↘An organisational intervention↘improving business outcomes↘creating a healthier safer workplace

↘design or redesign of work/tasks for a group ↘part of restructuring / some other change ↘to go beyond compliance….

work environment

Work – Systems and processes

The Workers

Good work design considers..

good work ‘effective’ design

Plant equipment materials and substances

Physical emotional mental capacities and needs How the work

is performed

‘Characteristics of Work’

“Work (Job) Characteristics”

Working with chemicals = possible exposure to toxic chemicals

Supervisor micro-manages tasks = lack autonomy

Repetitive tasks lifting heavy loads = risks of back strain

Excess vigilance tasks = cognitive overload

Physical Characteristics

Biomechanical Characteristics

Cognitive Characteristics

Psychosocial Characteristics

Good Work Design

Ten principles that help to achieve good work design

• Evidence-based• Easy to understand• Interconnected with each other• Limited in number

Developed with Work Health and Safety Queensland and Comcare Based on extensive consultation

www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

How: process of designing good work

Principles of Good Work Design

What: defining elements of good work design

Why: evidence-based reasons for work design

Why use the principles?

• Healthier and safer workplaces• Improved worker wellbeing and productivity • Improved useability of products• More efficient and effective work and work processes • Organisations and business are operating within

regulatory requirements • Reduced workers’ compensation claims and costs from

deaths, injuries and illnesses

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‘Why’ PrinciplesPrinciple 1: Good work design gives the highest level of protection against harm so far as is reasonably practicable

It’s the law!!

Legislative framework WHS laws (WHS Act and regulations) Codes of practice Guidance Prevention of Psychological Injuries Fact sheet

· meets community expectations

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Principle 2: Good work design enhances health and wellbeing

Prevents ill health promotes wellbeing Improves health and safety over short & longer term including: • physical and mental health • good health, use of skills & creativity

………… job satisfaction & general wellbeing

‘Why’ Principles cont..

WHO - Health is “a complete state of physical, mental and

social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease

or infirmity.”

‘Why’ Principles cont..

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Better design: • optimises performance saves…..

– faster responses to problems – higher creativity and innovation – more efficient and effective procedures

• reduced errors• lower supervision costs

[Parker, 2014, Tregaskis et al 2013]

Principle 3: Good work design enhances business success and productivity

‘What’ Principles

Principle 4: Good work design addresses physical, biomechanical, cognitive and psychosocial characteristics of work, together with the needs and capabilities of the people involved.

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What needs to be done?

The ‘What’ Principles cont..

• What needs to be done?– the business needs - is ‘fit for purpose– specific context– work environment: structures and plant,

work layout, technology, ICT systems, organisational design and culture, HR systems, work health and safety processes….

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Principle 5: Good Work Design considers the business needs, context and work environment

‘What’ Principles cont..

Good work design• applied along the supply chain

– design, manufacture, distribution, use and disposal of goods

&• considers issues across operational lifecycle

– start-up, routine operations, maintenance, downsizing and cessation

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Principle 6: Good work design is applied along the supply chain and across the operational lifecycle.

Work is designed well by: • engaged decision makers and leaders

• decision makers provide adequate practical support and resources

– Does the design ROI include costs and benefits?

– Is the design process adequately resourced and the timeline realistic?

‘How’ Principles

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Principle 7: Engage decision makers and leaders

‘How’ Principles cont..

Work is designed well by:

• involving people who do the work

• PCBUs must consult with workers and others• don’t forget the invisible workers and users

Are all the users consulted before the design is signed off?

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Principle 8: Actively involve the people who do the work, including those in the supply chain and networks

‘How’ Principles cont..

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Good work design includes:• Identify, assess and control hazards

and risks– use a systematic risk management approach

• Continuous improvement– good work as part of business processes -not a one-

off event– long term sustainability requires designs be

continually monitored and adjusted– build in feedback loops and new information to

improve designs

Is this good work practice embedded in your workplace?

• applies to Psychosocial hazards

Principle 9: Identify hazards, assess and control risks, and seek continuous improvement

Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks

The ‘How’ Principles cont..

Successful Work Design

Experience

Evidence

Experts

Principle 10: Learn from experts, evidence, and experience

Summary & Thank you!

• Handbook published on SWA website

• We are collecting case studies and resources to illustrate use of the principles

• Promote, disseminate and evaluate24

1. The why principles – are outcome based and explain why good work design is important

2. The what principles – what needs to be considered during the design process

3. The how principles – how you go about implementing the principles