The third forum looked at the issue of increasing worker surveillance by employers. This surveillance can be in the form of a bewildering array of tests, by video or other surveillance or by the adoption of so-called ‘Behaviour Based Safety Programs’. Employers often use occupational or public health and safety concerns to justify the introduction of such programs, but unions and workers are unconvinced. This is particularly the case when, too often, workplace hazards over which the employer has full control are not properly dealt with.
The panel of speakers were:
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Kathryn Heiler, National Policy Advisor, Mining Division, CFMEU: Testing Workers. Kathryn outlined the frightening array of tests used by employers in the mining industry. Employers are testing for physical fitness; functional fitness; psychological fitness; accident risk; personality traits; alcohol; drugs (illicit, prescribed and over the counter); cognitive capacity; fatigue; impairment; work performance; illness and susceptibility to illness and injury; health status. What’s really going on is that consultants are successfully peddling their products, and employers are gaining increasing control over workers, whose rights are being stripped back.
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Priya SaratChandran, Policy and Research Officer, Victorian Law Reform Commission: The findings of the Law Reform Commission on workplace privacy. The report looked at the wide range of surveillance practices (including testing) and the issues involved. The report then proposed a model for regulation, based on the general principle that employers have an obligation not to unreasonably breach the privacy of workers at work.
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Deborah Vallance, National Health and Safety Advisor, AMWU: What are the problems with behaviour based safety programs and workplace surveillance? Behaviour based safety programs have been around for a long time and have now become very sophisticated. Deborah outlined some of the reasons why these programs should be opposed.
The VTHC has developed a Kit for OHS Reps and Delegates on Behaviour Based Safety Programs. When it is finalised, it will be available to download from the website. In the meantime, there is some material on BBS in the Tool Kit handed out to participants at the conference.
The speakers’ Powerpoint presentations can be viewed and downloaded at the bottom of this page.