The document discusses how mindfulness practices, such as breathing exercises and body scans, can help address two major problems in modern workplaces: health and stress issues caused when job demands exceed resources, and safety issues that often stem from worker inattentiveness or distraction. Mindfulness is presented as a way to alleviate stress, improve mental and physical health, reduce absenteeism, and enhance safety awareness by cultivating focus and presence in the current moment.

1. Mindfulness: How being
present impacts health and
safety in the workplace
Dr Ivan Zwart

2. The information (‘Information’) prepared for these seminars has been
prepared and supplied in good faith on behalf of the Crown in Right of
Tasmania (‘the Crown’) by the Department of Justice as WorkSafe Tasmania
and the WorkCover Tasmania Board (‘the Board’).
Although all due care and attention has been taken in preparing and collating
the Information neither the Crown nor the Board gives a warranty either
express or implied as to the accuracy or completeness of the Information or
its relevance to any particular circumstances.
The Information may change or be varied due to facts or requirements of
different areas of government or policy issues in existence but not known or
apparent to those preparing or collating the Information.
The Crown and the Board and their relevant employees and agents accept no
liability (whether by reason of negligence or otherwise) to any person for any
damage or loss whatsoever or howsoever arising or suffered as a consequence
of the use or reliance on the Information or advice given at these seminars
which is used or relied on at that person’s own risk absolutely.

3. Please turn all mobile phones to silent!

4. Where were you…
• As you ate dinner last night?
• When in the shower this morning?
• When you walked to this room?

5. Our work environment
• Increasing competition
• Organisational change
• Downsizing
• Work intensification
• Job insecurity
• Longer hours
• Reduced resources
Competitive global economy contributes to:

6. Problem One:
Health and (dis)tress
When demands
exceed the personal
and social resources
a person is able to
mobilise

7. What is stress?
• Stimulus can vary
• Response is a physical reaction to an event
eliciting the ‘fight or flight’ response
• Release of stress hormones like cortisol
and adrenaline
• Gives us energy to respond
• Acute and chronic stress

8. Psychological effects of stress
• Irritability
• withdrawal
• inhibited thinking
• anxiety
• depression
• suicide

9. Physiological effects of stress
• Cardiovascular diseases
(heart attack,
chest pain or stroke)
• Gastrointestinal
disorders
• Immune deficiency

10. Significance of stress
in modern workplaces
‘By 2020, stress related illnesses
(i.e. depression and cardiovascular
disease) will be the leading causes
of the global disease burden’
Source: Australian Workplace Barometer, 2012

11. Significance of stress
in modern workplaces
• Mental health has overtaken physical health
as cause of longest absences from work (11.8 weeks)
• Mental health absences are 3 times longer
than other serious claims
• 20% of workers suffer from mild level
of depression
Source: Australian Workplace Barometer, 2012

12. Something to consider…
Is there a way to alleviate stress, mental
and physical health problems, absenteeism
and presenteeism – all at once?

13. Problem Two:
Safety and awareness
Workers have a responsibility to:
• Obey all reasonable instructions
• Follow the safe procedures of doing the job
• Not put yourself or co-workers at risk
Source: Tasmanian Work Health and Safety Guide for New Workers

14. Problem Two:
Safety and awareness
In our experience, 95 per cent of accidents occur
because of the acts of people…when you’ve done the
technical things you’ve only just started.
Du Pont General Manager, Australia

15. Problem Two:
Safety and awareness
• 70% of our top injuries involve a person who
is inattentive/distracted
Source: University of California Health and Safety Research
• 62% of car crashes in Australia due to
inattention or possible inattention
Source: Monash University accident research centre

16. Problem Two:
Safety and awareness
Should we rely solely on
regulations, rules and procedures
to keep people safe?

17. Mindfulness
Paying attention,
on purpose, in the
present moment,
and without judgment

18. Mindfulness practices
Formal practices include:
• Observation
• Breathing
• Body scan
Build into daily life

19. Mindfulness benefits:
mental state
• Relieves stress
• Provides relaxation
• Decreased anger/
moodiness
• Improves sleep
• Manages depression/
anxiety
• Increases happiness

20. Mindfulness benefits:
physiological
• Improves breathing and circulation
• Reduces heart rate
• Reduces blood pressure
• Improves immunity

21. Mindfulness benefits:
Awareness /
focus

22. Mindfulness benefits:
Awareness /
safety

23. In your workplace…
• Are workers sometimes stressed?
• Are the causes and solutions to stress
well understood?
• Are workers sometimes inattentive,
and what are the consequences?
• What role could mindfulness play
in alleviating these issues?