Health and safety update: Regulations

Plan launched to reduce health risks at work

A 10-year plan to address health risks in New Zealand’s workplaces has been launched by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon Michael Woodhouse.

WorkSafe New Zealand’s strategic plan for work-related health, ‘Healthy Work’, outlines the approach WorkSafe will take over the coming ten years to support and enable businesses to better manage work-related health risks.

The plan focuses on enabling greater leadership across the health and safety system by raising awareness of harm and risks, encouraging collaboration, minimising risks at source and influencing the education system to improve understanding of risks. It also guides WorkSafe’s approach to building the capability of its inspectors, improving data and intelligence, providing guidance and education resources, and enhancing the regulatory framework.

WorkSafe, 10 August 2016

ACC invests $30m to reduce falls and fractures for older New Zealanders

An investment of $30.5 million over four years by ACC, to support new and existing initiatives aimed at preventing falls and resulting injuries, has been welcomed by ACC Minister Nikki Kaye and Minister for Seniors Maggie Barry.

New Zealand government, 12 July 2016

ACC joins app pilot to trial digitally-based injury prevention and management

Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman and ACC Minister Nikki Kaye have welcomed ACC’s involvement with a pilot that’s trialling the provision of digitally-based medical support for Northland children and their whanau. The innovative, virtual ‘iMOKO’ project was developed by Kaitaia based GP Dr Lance O’Sullivan.

New Zealand government, 14 July 2016

Worksafe New Zealand corporate publications

Statement of Performance Expectations

Worksafe has released its Statement of Performance Expectations 2016-17. The document outlines Worksafe’s strategic direction, budget, activities, and performance indicators. Key activities include implementing the Health and Safety at Work Act, advancing the Harm Reduction Plan in collaboration with ACC, finalising the strategic plan for work-related health, and targeting high-hazard sectors and major hazard facilities.

Recent WorkSafe investigations and fines

• A commercial and residential flooring company has been fined $33,125 and ordered to pay reparations totalling $24,482.88 after an employee was left with serious burns in an incident involving the ignition of flammable solvent adhesive while installing vinyl flooring. More.
• The family of a Taiwanese tourist who drowned on a recreational SCUBA dive at Hahei in November 2014 will receive $70,000 in reparations after dive operator Cathedral Cove Dive Limited and its director Russell Cochrane pleaded guilty to charges under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 (HSE). More.
• Lyttelton Port Company was fined $75,000 under the HSE after the Rail and Maritime Union raised concerns about the use of a cherry picker at the port, the day after a fatality occurred on a scissor lift at the port. Two weeks later, a mechanical fault with the cherry picker was discovered and it was not removed from service. More. 
• CMP Canterbury Limited (part of the ANZCO Group) has been fined $39,000 and ordered to pay total reparation of $80,250 after a worker was crushed by the door of a stun box. More.       
• Silver Fern Farms Limited was fined $38,500 and ordered to pay $12,500 in reparation after a worker suffered serious burns from an exposed live cable. More. 
• Farming company Northburn Limited was fined $72,000 and ordered to pay reparation of $107,000 following the death of an employee who was trapped by fire in a gully during a burn-off on a high country station near Cromwell. More. 
• Oropi Quarries Limited and its sole director Catherine Renner were ordered to pay emotional harm reparations of $100,000 to the family of an employee killed in a quarry accident (OQL $80,000, Renner $20,000). The judge fined OQL $54,000 and Renner $9,600. More. 
• An agricultural services operator, who was found guilty of one charge under the HSE, has been ordered to pay reparations of $85,000 to the family of a contractor who was killed on the job. PJ Wright Limited, formerly known as Te Anau Bulk Haulage, was also ordered to pay $65,000 in fines after for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the worker’s safety. More. 
• The widow of a forestry dump truck driver killed at work will receive $97,655.45 in emotional harm reparations from his employer. The victim was killed when a log fell from an overloaded articulated dump truck. The employer, G J Sole Ltd, had earlier pleaded guilty to one charge under the HSE of failing to ensure the safety of the victim by failing to ensure he was not exposed to hazards arising from logging cartage work. G J Sole Ltd was fined $39,375 in addition to the reparations. More. 
• Two companies have been ordered to pay reparations of $30,126 to a worker who was left with serious injuries after his arm was cut by a fish de-heading machine. On-hire labour company AWF Limited and Sanford Limited were fined $37,750 and $53,000 respectively and ordered to pay reparations of $15,063 each after pleading guilty to charges under the HSE for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of the worker. More. 
• Dunedin electricity distribution network provider Delta Utility Services has been fined $35,000 and ordered to pay reparation of $49,600 after a worker fell six metres after low voltage arcing on lines he was working on. More. 
• Geordie Grieve Builders was fined $15,000 and ordered to pay $48,592.43 in reparations to an injured employee after being found guilty of one charge under the HSE. The worker was injured when he attempted to get down from a ladder, the bottom of the ladder slipped forward and the worker fell, hitting his head on the ground. More.