Safety Governance - Part One

The requirement for Safety Governance, especially in today's litigation-focused world, is paramount for company directors. It will help demonstrate that they are in control of their company’s safety arrangements and validate their pledge. The safety of workers and stakeholders is paramount and is ensured via their safety policy.

Few companies would choose to ignore financial governance processes or fail to conduct due diligence when negotiating the takeover of another company. Yet, evidence of safety governance is lacking in many businesses, possibly through ignorance or failure to see this as an essential boardroom tool.

Sadly, directors and senior management have neglected safety governance in the past, which has led to serious incidents and fatalities in the workplace. A prime example of this is the 2010 Pike River Mine Disaster in New Zealand which led to the death of 29 underground workers in a massive explosion.

The Royal Commission, led by Justice Graham Panckhurst, outlined several occasions where the Board of Directors of the mine and its parent company were oblivious (or did they choose to ignore) to the safety concerns continuously raised by middle managers and employees of the mine.

The boardroom rarely asked about safety policies, let alone discussing any…