An OH&S rep at my work seems overzealous. Thereโs no doubt about their enthusiasm for the job, but they are overbearing and sometimes plain rude.
They scold members of the team for โnon-complianceโ, which would be fine if staff members were being negligent or careless, but I donโt see it like that. I see someone who enjoys wielding power and who doesnโt care if they interrupt work, talk over others or insult people.
I donโt want to seem like I donโt take this stuff seriously. Actually, my main concern is that if this approach continues, people will think of OH&S as a chore or, worse, something to actively ignore just to spite an abrupt colleague. Is there a way around this problem?
This seems to me a problem that a good human resources team could solve without much fuss. I know from our correspondence, however, that you wrote because you feel like you and other colleagues whoโve been subject to the occupational health and safety (OH&S) repโs over-the-top behaviour are on your own. HR is absent for some reason.
I asked Dr Jonathan Sale, a senior lecturer in human resources management at Adelaide University, about whatโs happening here and whether there is, as you asked, a way to deal with it.
โThe underlying basis of [OH&S] legislation is the Robens model, which is about self-regulation rather than state regulation,โ he explained. โEveryone in the workplace is principally responsible for health and safety, which means a proactive duty of care is prescribed.โ
On whether your rep is being overbearing or simply doing their job, Sale said that according to Safe Work Australia, workers and others must be โprovided the highest level of protection as reasonably practicableโ.
โWhat is โreasonably practicableโ is determined objectively. This means [they] must meet the standard of behaviour expected of a reasonable person in their position,โ Sale said.
โThere are two elements to what is โreasonably practicableโ. [They] must first consider what can be done โ that is, what is possible in the circumstances for ensuring health and safety. They must then consider whether it is reasonable in the circumstances to do all that is possible.โ
Without going into specific examples, I think itโs fair to say your rep is attempting to do โall that is possibleโ to ensure health and safety, but sometimes failing to meet the โreasonable in the circumstancesโ stipulation.
โThe role of the OH&S coordinator is important in making WHS [workplace health and safety] policy and rules work. However, this does not equate to control or supervision over everyone else in the workplace regarding WHS matters. [They] do not have a โroving commissionโ to do as they please.โ
I can see how frustrating, and sometimes offensive, this personโs behaviour is. And while thereโs no need for them to insult anyone as they go about their business, if I were to give them the benefit of the doubt, I do wonder whether the reason for their behaviour might be more about work pressure than it is about personality.
Could it be that part of the problem (especially given HRโs lack of involvement), is that they feel that too much falls onto them? That they feel unsupported and overburdened by responsibility, and in their worst moments, they let the pressure get the better of them?
I think a good test of whether this person feels put upon and companionless in their position, or whether they are simply naturally officious and hungry for power, is to propose a broadening of responsibility for OH&S. The rep can, of course, keep their role (presuming they want to), but authority would be officially spread wider. More voices would be considered.
If you think the idea has merit, and you want to take it to your organisationโs leadership team, my advice would be to frame it not as an attempt to punish a difficult person, but as a way of distributing the load of a difficult job.
Send your questions through to Work Therapy by emailing jonathan@theinkbureau.com.au
The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
Jonathan Rivett is a writer based in Melbourne. He’s written about workplace culture and careers for more than a decade.From our partners
About the Author
