Launch of HSR Knowledge Wheel and Guidebook

Kia ora koutou to all members and supporters of NZISM. This past week has seen the launch of the HSR Knowledge Wheel and Guidebook at the SafeSkills Conference Roadshow. It has been quite a journey getting this work across the line, but with this week’s release, we have managed to deliver a valuable tool to our HSR community.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank all those who have been involved in its development. Specifically, those HSRs who gave up their time and provided honest and often difficult insights into their experience in the role, helping us to better understand what they need to be effective.

What I found most challenging was the large number of HSRs who had never received training or spoken to anyone about the expectations of them in their role. They all carried a huge responsibility, feeling the weight of their workmates' health and safety on their shoulders yet not having any clarity around what they needed to know in order to be successful. This was a huge driver to ensure that whatever we developed was freely and widely accessible to all those who could benefit from it.

I am very proud of the framework and the resource that we have worked on collectively, using the voices, knowledge and experience of the health and safety reps and profession to design a learning journey for HSRs, by HSRs, with support of the health and safety profession.

Thank you to our Governance Board for giving me the freedom to run with this project and trusting my vision when funding mechanisms disappeared. NZISM has taken a leadership position in developing and delivering this work for HSRs. It has been done pro bono, because we understand that when HSRs are supported to be successful, our profession benefits by having engaged and capable health and safety advocates in the workplace. Organisations benefit from increased worker voice and worker engagement, and the result is that the whole system of work benefits by increased health and safety capability, and that is why we do what we do.

Ngā mihi,

Selena Armstron

NZISM CEO