Rethinking occupational health and safety principles—a systems perspective

Abstract

A work system is influenced by several other systems and their dynamics. The decisions and actions at different system levels are key to system dynamics and the interactions and interconnections between these systems. Decisions and actions at one system level can have varying degrees of impact and influence over the other. An apparent display of such impacts is the configuration of work systems and their outcomes. Occupational health and safety are one of the important system outcomes. The underpinning philosophy of occupational health and safety, since Robens Report (1972), has been that ‘those creating risks to manage risks. However, the decisions and actions at other system levels have a significant impact on workplace health and safety risk configuration and management. To warrant positive outcomes, any decision and action impacting health and safety must be driven by fundamental principles. Any lack of guiding principles for such decisions and actions not only creates risk management dilemmas but may exacerbate the burden of harm and risk control, sometimes disproportionately, at the work system level. Therefore, this paper proposes fundamental principles that should underpin the decisions and actions influencing the design or configuration of a work system for improved work health and safety outcomes.