Published: 16 Jan 2011
David Gerke from the Workers Health Centre in Lidcombe has produced another excellent little publication on the nature of Behavioural Based Safety systems. BBS systems are used to pit worker against worker and they shift the emphasis for safety from the company to the worker. The MUA is continuing to compile more data on BBS systems and is campaigning to see safety is based on proper regard for systems of work and not individualised in the way that BBS systems target individual workers.
Below is an excerpt from the document.
True Story #1: I went to the lunch room and came across a worker who looked very ill, the left side of his face was sagging down and to me it looked like he was having a stroke.
I said to him , "Jimmy are you OK mate", he replied " No Gerkey , I don't feel so good". I had a site phone as they had done away with two way radio's and immediately called the OH&S centre.
This had been drummed into us that in an emergency ring the emergency number on your phone, there was no reply, so I called for an ambulance immediately. I met the ambulance at the front gate and escorted them to the worker.
I was confronted the following day and told I had not followed proper procedure and it was implied I could be performance counselled. I responded by saying I would be more than happy to defend myself at any time. And I would have no hesitation in backing myself up by informing my Union and calling the regulator .
The fact was this man had been overcome by paint thinners and the valuable minutes saved in contacting the Ambulance saved him from possible permanent brain damage.
The irony in this story is that the reason I could not contact these people was they were attending a BBQ in recognition of their perfect safety record.
