IoD Welcomes Clarification Of Health And Safety Duties, Says More Could Be Done

Moves to clarify the respective roles of directors and managers in delivering safer and healthier workplaces are a step towards better health and safety governance, says Guy Beatson, General Manager of the Institute of Directors’ (IoD) Governance Leadership Centre.

The Government has announced it will legislate to clarify that the day-to-day management of health and safety risks is to be left to managers and that directors should focus on the strategic oversight of health and safety in the business, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden announced today.

Beatson says this is something IoD members have been asking for and that it will help remove duplication and confusion between the duties of directors and managers – who are both “officers” under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 – in relation to keeping workers safe.

“We have advocated for a clearer division between governance and operational responsibilities. Current legal frameworks can blur this line, creating uncertainty for directors who are responsible for strategic oversight but not daily operational control,” Beatson says.

“Clarifying that boards are accountable for risk management and safety culture – not hands-on management – will mean directors can better focus on their core governance role without inadvertently overstepping.

“We look forward to hearing more detail from the Minister on how these ‘officer’ duties will be constituted in the revised Act.”

The news is part of a rolling series of announcements on health and safety the Government is releasing this week.

Beatson says there are other governance factors that could improve New Zealand’s workplace health and safety record.

“We believe collective board accountability, rather than liability for individual directors, would encourage directors to work as a unified board, drawing on diverse skills and perspectives to address safety risks comprehensively,” he says.

“We also share the view of many in the health and safety ecosystem that education and balancing enforcement with proactive guidance for ‘officers’ would foster a culture where boards and management are more likely to address safety risks transparently and systematically.”

This proactive guidance could include lessons drawn from the experience of regulators, and promoting a coordinated communications approach between agencies to help directors understand how they can best ensure their organisations have a robust health and safety culture.

“Today’s news is welcome, and we look forward to hearing more from the Government as it moves to improve the health and safety ecosystem,” Beatson says.

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