A new report has found an acceptance among Australian workers of risk-taking and rule-breaking on the job.

The Perception of Work Health and Safety Survey 2012-13 says labourers are “generally more accepting of risk taking and much more accepting of rule breaking within the workplace in comparison to workers in other occupations. Within the Labourers group Construction & mining labourers and Factory process workers appeared to be the most accepting of risk taking”.

Meanwhile, “employers operating in the Transport, postal & warehousing industry were much more likely than employers in the other priority industries to agree that their workplace does not suit those worried about being injured, that they accept risk taking at work and break safety rules in order to complete work on time than employers operating in the other priority industries,” the report states.

“Employers in this industry were also much more likely to agree that conditions in the workplace stop workers from working safely, that workers bend rules to achieve a target and that workers are under pressure from work mates and management to break safety rules.”

The study authors suggested that this contributed to the high injury and fatality rates among Labourers and within the Transport, postal and warehousing industry.

The paper states that “health and safety is not being given priority in all work processes and decisions. Workplace cultures appear to play a role in the acceptance of risk taking and rule breaking.”

“There is a need for workplaces to think about attitudes towards risk taking and rule breaking. Urgent leadership is needed to change what appears to be a culture in many Australian workplaces that it is acceptable to take risks. This indicates a need to rethink the way work is designed to help to remove pressures that lead to risk taking and rule breaking in Australian workplaces.”