ASA upholds ad that tries to make fun of workplace safety

ASA upholds ad that tries to make fun of workplace safety by ANUJA NADKARNI. Available from <https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/95977679/asa-upholds-ad-that-tries-to-make-fun-of-workplace-safety> [Last updated 13:55, August 23 2017] Photo: Article Source

An advertisement that tried to take a funny stance on a workplace accident has not received the reaction it hoped.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a television advertisement for Bisley Workwear that aired earlier this year with The Block Australia's host Scott Cam. The advertisement showed a series of building site mishaps.

In the advertisement a bag of dry cement bursts while being unloaded from the back of a truck and lands all over a worker's head and face. His co-worker hoses him clean while saying "Harden up mate" said that it aimed the commercial to be "light-hearted" and showed over exaggerated building site events.

Then the worker has dust blown into his face, with his colleague commenting "Bit dusty there buddy?"

But a complaint to the ASA raised concerns about the building materials being harmful and potentially causing serious eye damage.

Bisley Workwear said the advertisement was filmed in a controlled environment and the purpose was to take a humorous approach on promoting the brand.

"The incident where the tradie has got a faceful of cement powder was exaggerated and in fact was harmless cosmetic powder used in a controlled environment with health and safety personnel present," Bisley Workwear said.

University of Auckland commercial law teaching fellow Nadia Dabee said there were examples of poor workplace practices in the advertisement but the humour was obvious.

"I don't think the advertisement is necessarily condoning poor workplace practices. But the advertisement could still send the wrong message to workers to 'harden up' when faced with poor work practices and that is exactly the attitude that needs to change in New Zealand," Dabee said.

The complaints board said the scene where the worker was covered in dry concrete powder did cross the threshold and the "harden-up" reaction potentially trivialised a dangerous situation and a serious health and safety issue.

The board said the advertisement by Bisley Workwear was not socially responsible. It said the advertisement also breached the safety code as the dangerous scenes were not justifiable on social or educational grounds.

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