WorkSafe survey seeks workplace insight

Hayley Denison, of Massey University's Centre for Public Health Research. Photo: Supplied

Southern farmers and sawmill workers are being encouraged to take part in a Massey University survey to look at workplace practices.

Dr Hayley Denison, of the university's Centre for Public Health Research, said the data would help WorkSafe identify potential hazards and develop effective health and safety interventions to prevent work-related disease and injuries.

Researchers were hoping to interview about 700 people in various occupational groups - farmers who apply pesticides, construction, hospitality, clerical, sawmill workers, collision repair workers, and nurses who go out into the community.

Dr Denison said they were carrying out the survey as part of a study to learn more about occupational exposures and workplace practices in those groups.

The survey and study is funded by WorkSafe New Zealand to understand the prevalence of a wide range of occupational risk factors and to address the need for a comprehensive insight into work practices.

She said they were looking for information about current workplace exposures (for example, chemicals, biological materials, heavy lifting), organisational factors (such as hours worked, shift work), psychosocial factors (including stress, pressure, bullying), general health and worker satisfaction with different aspects of their current job.

''We are interested in the occupation as a whole, rather than individual employees/employers and information on employers is not collected,'' Dr Denison said.

She said once the information was analysed, the researchers would write a report of the results and that information would then be available to policy-makers.

''The results of this research will assist WorkSafe in identifying current and potential hazards for the New Zealand workforce and will inform the development of health and safety interventions.

''We are not just looking at physical health and safety, but also psychological health and safety, for instance, stress and bullying in the workplace.''

They intended to finish collecting the data by the end of October and a report, which would not include individual identifying information, would be given to WorkSafe in February.

The researchers were seeking about 700 workers aged 20-64 in the seven groups.

Anyone who wishes to be involved in the survey can contact Dr Denison on h.denison@massey.ac.nz or 0800990-053 for more information.

She said the survey, which would be done over the phone, would take up to an hour.

-By Yvonne O'Hara

Southern Rural Life