scholarly journals Reporting on Occupational Health and Safety in Annual Reports: A Look at Disclosure Practices in New Zealand

Author(s):  
Judy Brown ◽  
Frances Butcher

In recent years many organizations in New Zealand have begun to voluntarily disclose health and safety information in their annual reports. This paper considers the rationales for such disclosures and reviews the disclosure practices of 100 of New Zealand's largest employers. It utilizes an index adapted from Morhardt (2002) and good practice guidance developed by the Health and Safety Commission in the United Kingdom (HSC 2000) to evaluate both the quantity and quality of reporting. Benchmarked against these indicators, the authors conclude that there is considerable scope for improving the overall standard of health and safety reporting in New Zealand. The paper notes some current initiatives and offers suggestions to progress developments in this area.

2021 ◽  
pp. oemed-2020-107038
Author(s):  
Christina Tikka ◽  
Jos Verbeek ◽  
Sharea Ijaz ◽  
Jan L Hoving ◽  
Julitta Boschman ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo assess the reporting quality of randomisation and allocation methods in occupational health and safety (OHS) trials in relation to Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) requirements of journals, risk of bias (RoB) and publication year.MethodsWe systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in PubMed between 2010 and May 2019 in 18 OHS journals. We measured reporting quality as percentage compliance with the CONSORT 2010 checklist (items 8–10) and RoB with the ROB V.2.0 tool (first domain). We tested the mean difference (MD) in % in reporting quality between CONSORT-requiring and non-requiring journals, trials with low, some concern and high RoB and publications before and after 2015.ResultsIn 135 articles reporting on 129 RCTs, average reporting quality was at 37.4% compliance (95% CI 31.9% to 43.0%), with 10% of articles reaching 100% compliance. Reporting quality was significantly better in CONSORT-requiring journals than non-requiring journals (MD 31.0% (95% CI 21.4% to 40.7%)), for studies at low RoB than high RoB (MD 33.1% (95% CI 16.1% to 50.2%)) and with RoB of some concern (MD 39.8% (95% CI 30.0% to 49.7%)). Reporting quality did not improve over time (MD −5.7% (95% CI −16.8% to 5.4%).ConclusionsArticles in CONSORT-requiring journals and of low RoB studies show better reporting quality. Low reporting quality is linked to unclear RoB judgements (some concern). Reporting quality did not improve over the last 10 years and CONSORT is insufficiently implemented. Concerted efforts by editors and authors are needed to improve CONSORT implementation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 400-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Odhiambo Odera ◽  
Albert Scott ◽  
Jeff Gow

Purpose This study seeks to examine the quantity and quality of social and environmental disclosures (SEDs) of Nigerian oil companies. The study aims to analyse SED activities as reported by the oil companies in their annual reports. Design/methodology/approach The study analyses annual reports through content analysis. SED quantity is measured by alternative two units: number of sentences and number of pages. A two-point scale system to assess SED quality is used as follows: 1 = if SED is quantitative and reports specific activities of a company concerning its social and environmental responsibility; 0 = otherwise. Correlation analysis is performed among the different SED categories to identify the relationships among them. Kolmongrov–Smirnov and Shapiro–Wilk tests for normality are utilised. Findings SED activities are reported by most of the companies, and by quantity, employee information is found to be the most common type of disclosure. SED quantity and quality in the environment category is found to be overwhelmingly low despite the large-scale public concern expressed about the levels of the environmental degradation caused by oil company operations. Research limitations/implications The data collected for this study are based on one country, which controls diversity but limits the generalizability of the findings. The study is limited by the sample which includes mainly quoted companies, as they are believed to make improved disclosures because of their investor orientation and statutory obligations. Originality/value The study extends SED research by focusing on social disclosures such as employee-, community- and health- and safety-related disclosures. The study also investigates the motivations of SED providers and establishes a link between stakeholder demands/engagement and the level of disclosure.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Walters ◽  
Michael Quinlan

The activism of coalmining unions in Australia, the UK, the USA and elsewhere securing improvements in safety including better legislation in the 19th and 20th centuries, has been widely researched and acknowledged. However, a relatively neglected aspect of this history was a campaign to secure worker inspectors (check-inspectors). These began in coalmining a century before similar measures were introduced for workers more generally as part of overhauling occupational health and safety laws in the 1970s/1980s. We document this struggle for mine safety in Australia and New Zealand, and the activities of check-inspectors in the period to 1925. Notwithstanding strong opposition from coal-owners and conservative governments, check-inspectors played an important role in safeguarding coalminers and improving the regulatory oversight of coalmines. Check-inspectors not only gave coalminers a ‘voice’ in OHS, but they also provided an exemplar of the value and legitimacy of worker’s ‘knowledge activism’. This system remains. Furthermore, the struggle is relevant to understanding contemporary debates about collective worker involvement in occupational health and safety. JEL Codes: J28, J51, J81


1986 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara McIntosh ◽  
Michael A. Gurdon

Multiple environmental pressures, both internal and external to the organization, are examined as factors influencing the administration of health and safety programmes and subsequent accident performance. Data were collected from seven industrial sectors in New Zealand. Those firms with better safety records indicated that the most influential factors shaping their policies included government rules and regulations and demonstrated employee concerns and demands. The quality of the relationship with the union and the locus of enterprise ownership also play a significant role in the effectiveness of health and safety administration.


1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 409-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlene M. Gannagé

Immigrant women's conditions of work have worsened with new government and managerial strategies to restructure the Canadian apparel industry. Changes in occupational health and safety legislation have both given and taken away tools that immigrant women workers could use to improve the quality of their working lives. The author outlines a methodology for eliciting the health and safety concerns of immigrant women workers.


2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (65) ◽  
pp. 25-27
Author(s):  
Liz Mackie

Since the 'Piper Alpha' disaster in 1988 the system of regulating occupational health and safety in the offshore oil and gas industry has been the subject of radical reorganization. During vacation employment in the Safety and Environment Department of a North Sea oil producer during 1993 the difficulties that can arise in identifying a particular regulation or in obtaining a specific document were experienced at first hand. Standard bibliographic tools do not identify sources of health and safety information specific to the industry and it was felt that further guidance would be beneficial.


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