Measuring our performance

WorkSafe’s performance indicators all relate to the Vote Labour Market appropriation Workplace Relations and Safety – Workplace Health and Safety.

Measuring our success

WorkSafe has a clear view of what success looks like – we are working to transform New Zealand’s health and safety performance towards world-class. The framework below provides an overview of some of the ways we measure the progress being made by WorkSafe and across the broader health and safety system.

Performance measures

WorkSafe provides performance reports to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety each quarter, as well as in the Annual Report.

We measure our performance with a range of indicators. These reflect the activities undertaken by WorkSafe, including how well people think we are doing them through a perception survey. We also measure our performance against our internal focus area – organisational excellence.

WorkSafe’s Statement of Intent 2018/19-2021/22 also looks at the impact and behaviour changes seen in workplaces and the flow-on impact on the health and safety at work system.

Performance measures		Latest result 2018/19*	Target 2019/20
Harm prevention	% of people who say our guidance is useful³ (this measure provides an indication of how we help all parts of the system understand what good health and safety practice looks like)	97%	Hold or increase
Harm prevention	% of assessments that include interaction with a worker or representative where available	88%	≥80%
Harm prevention	Update and implement Healthy Work Plan and Harm Reduction Action Plan	New measure	Achieve
Harm prevention	% of assessments that include a focus on work-related health risks	61%	≥50%
Regulatory effectiveness	% of prosecutions that are successful	89%	≥80%
Regulatory effectiveness	% of investigations where a final decision is made and communicated to victims and PCBUs within 12 months of commencement⁴	100%	100%
Regulatory effectiveness	% of energy safety investigations (notifiable/non-notifiable incidents and unsafe situations) involving gas and electricity that are completed within 60 days	98%	≥80%
Regulatory effectiveness	% of safety cases under review according to schedule⁵	New measure	100%
System leadership	The number and range of sectors supported by tripartite sector leadership groups	3⁶	Increase by at least 2
System leadership	Percentage of people we directly engage with who agreed WorkSafe is:⁷ Educative: (I now know more about what I need to do about health and safety in the workplace) Fair: (WorkSafe treated me fairly) Proportionate: (WorkSafe’s response was in proportion to the level of risk or likely harm that the situation or issue posed to workplace health and safety) Performing effectively: (WorkSafe is making a real difference to workplace health and safety in New Zealand)	N/A reported in Q4	Increase
Organisational excellence	Staff engagement as measured in the ‘We Say’ survey results	61%	To maintain or increase
Organisational excellence	Progress toward achieving strategic goal of becoming a leader in New Zealand health and safety practice⁸	‘Developing’	Achieve ‘Performing’ level

^{* As at 31 May 2019, as some year-end results will not be available until after publication.}

^{3 - Measured in the Service Excellence Survey. People who agreed that the written WorkSafe guidance they access was ‘somewhat’ or ‘very useful’. These results come from people (employers, employees and self-employed) who have had recent contact with a WorkSafe Health and Safety Inspector during an assessment or investigation.}

^{4 - Excludes cases where an extension of time has been granted under section 147 of HSWA.}

^{5 - By 4 April 2021 WorkSafe must have either accepted or finally rejected any safety case submitted to it by the operator of an upper tier major hazard facility to which the transitional provisions apply. A safety case is required under R45 of the Health and Safety at Work (Major Hazard Facilities) Regulations 2016. WorkSafe plans to have 100% of safety cases received under active review in 2019/20 (completed and agreed or referred back to operator for further information). For planning purposes we forecast 60 safety cases. WorkSafe will assess submitted safety cases against the requirements of the regulations and generally in line with a planned programme of work. The safety case is an important document, it ensures that operators have identified key risks and necessary risk control measures and is a key leading indicator providing reassurance that risks from major hazard operations are being controlled.}

^{6 - Forestry Industry Safety Council, Agricultural Leaders’ Health and Safety Action Group, and Construction Health and Safety New Zealand.}

^{7 - Measured in the Service Excellence Survey, after an interaction with a Health and Safety Inspector. ‘People’ includes workers and employers.}

^{8 - Measured by the SafePlus assessment tool. The three levels of maturity are: Developing, Performing and Leading.}