Worksafe TV advertising ruled misleading

Standards authority scathing, writes Tom Pullar-strecker.

Government safety agency Worksafe NZ exaggerated the impact of workplace accidents in a television advertising campaign, the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled.

It said the adverts, which were designed to draw attention to the impact of workplace accidents on families, were misleading and advised they should be withdrawn.

The embarrassing admonishment largely stemmed from Worksafe’s claim that more than 23,000 people were severely injured or killed in New Zealand workplaces last year.

Worksafe explained – but not in the broadcasts – that the injuries were ones that required people to have more than a week off work.

The ASA said most of the injuries were strains or cuts, while there were 44 deaths.

Describing those injuries as ‘‘severe’’ created a misleading impression, the ASA said, especially given the ‘‘tone and emotive imagery’’ of the advertisements which included footage of workers returning from work and hugging their children.

‘‘Worksafe NZ can, for internal purposes, define a mouse to be an elephant if it wishes, and believe that this is a fair description.

‘‘But if there were a 50 gram mammal in the room, most people would think that it is a mouse and not a 6-tonne pachyderm,’’ the ASA said in possibly its most cutting criticism.

Ian Harrison, principal of Wellington economics consultant Tailgate Economics, originally brought the complaint that Worksafe’s claims were ‘‘grossly exaggerated’’.

The ASA had originally ruled in favour of Worksafe in April, but reversed its decision on appeal.

Harrison said Worksafe had been clipped around the ears and he expected it would be ‘‘spewing’’.

He had taken issue with the adverts on principle, he said.

‘‘People can advocate for what they like, but being clear about facts is absolutely essential for government departments. They shouldn’t play fast and loose.’’

Worksafe persuaded several chief executives to particulate in the ‘‘Home Time’’ campaign, which originally aired earlier this year but which has been rebroadcast during the past week.

The claim that generated the most controversy was read out by Griffin’s Foods chief executive, Alison Barrass, who has since been appointed a director of Spark.

Another – read out by farmer Sir David Fagan – that New Zealand’s workplace death and severe injury rate was double that of Australia’s was also ‘‘misleading’’, as the injury rate was in fact lower than Australia’s, the ASA said.

While the death rate was 60 per cent higher in New Zealand last year, that reflected the fact that its labour force was more heavily concentrated in hazardous occupations, it said.

The Commercial Approvals Bureau, set up by media companies to vet television advertisements, stood up for Worksafe.

It told the ASA that ‘‘the goal of reducing the number of serious injuries and deaths in New Zealand is a justifiable reason to play on fear’’.

The ASA’S appeal board disagreed. It does not have any formal powers but has written to Worksafe asking it to voluntarily withdraw the adverts, which were part-funded by ACC, and to make sure it does not repeat the misleading claims.