NATIVEUK.COM LESSONS
April 28 • Cultural Insight
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
The Right to Refuse. This lesson explores the contract of risk and whether a company should be held criminally responsible for a worker's mental health as much as their physical safety.
Speaking Discussion
- Is burnout a workplace injury?
- Should employees have the right to refuse a task if it is ethically dangerous, even if it is physically safe?
- Why do we value speed over safety in the modern economy?
- If you were a safety inspector, what is the first thing you would ban in a modern office?
- Is absolute safety a cage that prevents human progress?
Activity 1: The Crisis Manager
The Task: An employee has had a mental breakdown because of the stress of your deadline. You are the manager. The Board of Directors wants you to fire them to avoid a lawsuit. You want to protect them. Pitch a re-entry plan that saves the human AND the company.
Activity 2: Rapid Fire Debate
Justify in 30 seconds: 1. 'A company is not a family, and it owes you nothing but a paycheck.' 2. 'The most dangerous part of any job is the person sitting next to you.' 3. 'We should prioritise psychological safety over physical safety in 2026.'