The National Safety Show 2015

Most indoor workers not getting enough vitamin D

Occupation may be a major factor in vitamin D deficiency, researchers say Vitamin D levels in most occupational groups are well below those considered optimal for health, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. Continue →

Dangers of entering grain silos underestimated

Poor risk management, emergency planning, and training for confined spaces work put an electrician’s life in danger, WorkSafe says It also threatened the safety of 14 others who went to his aid in a grain silo incident, says WorkSafe Chief Inspector Keith Stewart. Continue →

Airborne viruses live for longer than expected

Cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing and wash your hands to avoid spreading germs Working when sick The simple, well-worn advice for preventing winter colds and flu from spreading has been strengthened with new research from a team of researchers from Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Continue →

Create a certified asbestos safety management system

Licensed asbestos removal businesses must have a certified safety management system (SMS) by 4 April 2018 as part of the new asbestos regulations WorkSafe outlines what a safety management system is, and what to consider when developing one.  Continue →

Essential road risk guidance for senior managers

International road safety charity Brake has published a new guidance report aimed at senior managers in organisations with at-work drivers in collaboration with vehicle tracking specialists Quartix Managing road risk: a guide for senior managers provides crucial information for senior managers on the importance of road risk management, along with practical measures for implementation. Continue →

Get up, stand up, stand up for your life

Get up and stand up for at least two hours daily during working hours, office workers advised Office workers should be on their feet for a minimum of two hours daily during working hours, recommends guidance designed to curb the health risks of too much cumulative sitting time, and published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Continue →

Discounted counselling services for forestry workers

Safetree has teamed up with Vitae services to help forestry employers access counselling services for workers at a discounted price The arrangement means forestry businesses are eligible for special corporate rates when one of their workers uses Vitae services. Continue →

Online tool highlights health and safety red flags

A new online safety audit is now available to help New Zealand businesses assess how well their health and safety system is performing and identify areas of risk Leading nationwide health and safety consultants, Securo, estimate two-thirds of New Zealand businesses still have no idea how their contractors, regional branch offices or even their own workplaces rate in terms of the new health and safety requirements, despite new laws having been introduced more than a year ago. Continue →

Are drivers being told too much?

The growing trend to install multiple road signs at the same location along freeways might be practical and cost-effective but is it safe? Continue →

Communication critical to excavator safety

The critical importance of following industry guidelines and adequately assessing hazards and risks in the workplace was highlighted after an employee of a large drainage contractor was run over by an excavator Hydrotech Limited pleaded guilty to one charge under section 6 of the Health and Safety in Employment Act (1992) for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its employees and was fined $48,875.00. Continue →

Flu shots essential, research reveals

New research that shows that influenza kills about 500 New Zealanders each year highlights the importance of getting a flu vaccination to keep workplaces germ-free The risk of premature death is much higher for Māori, Pasifika, men and those living in relative poverty. Continue →

Asbestos training providers receiving accreditation

Several training providers are going through the process of becoming accredited by NZQA to deliver asbestos unit standards training, WorkSafe advises The health and safety regulator suggests contacting the individual training providers to find out if and when they will begin delivering training to the NZQA standards. Continue →

Lack of systems at the heart of worker’s death

WorkSafe New Zealand says businesses must actively identify and control risks that could kill or maim their workers Sullivan Packaging Ltd was fined a total of $52,000 in the Christchurch District Court and ordered to pay $20,000 reparations after a worker was trapped unconscious in a machine on which he was carrying out maintenance when an unlocked metal plate collapsed on him. Continue →

New website to help emphysema sufferers

  A new Australian website will also help more than 200,000 New Zealand emphysema sufferers and their families Breatheagain.com.au is designed to provide emphysema patients and their support network with comprehensive information about the disease. Continue →

Cross-industry innovation a health and safety winner

A bright idea from Napier OnGas Senior Driver Nakia (Nick) Holland has won a national award for reducing health and safety risks at work The Workplace Best Initiative to Address a Health Risk Award was given to Vector’s OnGas business at the New Zealand Health and Safety awards. Continue →

Major construction firms unite on health and safety

Several of New Zealand’s largest construction companies are joining forces to improve workplace health and safety Arrow International, Cassidy Construction, Dominion Constructors, Fletcher Construction, Hawkins Construction, Leighs Construction, Naylor Love and NZ Strong have signed an agreement committing to standardise their approach to on-site health and safety. Continue →

Stand and deliver with activity-promoting desks

Office workers who use sit-stand or treadmill desks are on track to being more productive and attentive with fewer signs of workplace stress than their sedentary chair-dwelling colleagues University of Queensland School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences researcher Associate Professor Nicholas Gilson has been studying the effects activity-promoting desks have on worker productivity. Continue →

KiwiRail wins Workplace Health and Safety Award

A collaborative initiative to reduce hot works injuries saw KiwiRail win the Engagement category of the 2017 New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards in Auckland  The winning Hotworks project was a co-operative effort with KiwiRail’s union partner the RMTU. Continue →

Winter’s the perfect season to maintain exercise levels

Many Kiwis struggle to keep active and healthy when temperatures plummet, but a leading New Zealand exercise expert says gym membership numbers actually go up in winter Exercise NZ Chief Executive Richard Beddie says winter – which officially starts today – is no excuse to stop training or ease on fitness levels. Continue →

Lives of rural New Zealanders at risk?

  The lives of rural New Zealanders are at risk every day because of poor connectivity and inequitable health services, a rural health leader claims Rural Health Alliance of Aotearoa New Zealand (RHAANZ) chair Dr Martin London says government needs to help remove barriers so rural people’s health be considered just as important as those who live in cities. Continue →

Port decision to cut fumigation gas wins plaudits

Ports of Auckland’s decision to eliminate the gas used for container fumigation has won applause from the Green Party, which wants other ports to follow suit Part of an ambition to become the most sustainable port in New Zealand, the initiative will require the total recapture of methyl bromide gas used for container fumigation by September 1, 2017, and for all cargoes by the end of the year Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson says: “Methyl bromide is a very effective pesticide and a key part of New Zealand’s biosecurity defence, but it is toxic to humans and depletes the ozone layer. Continue →

Asbestos removal standards set to change

New unit standards are being introduced to support the asbestos regulation changes that take effect 4 April 2018 This training is part of the overall picture designed to raise standards for working with asbestos in New Zealand and aligns our practice with that of the United Kingdom and Australia. Continue →

Protect stock from leptospirosis before winter

The wet of winter is coming and farmers should be planning annual leptospirosis boosters for herds to protect themselves and animals from contracting the disease, WorkSafe advises “Leptospirosis can be passed from animals to humans,” says WorkSafe Programme Manager Agriculture Al McCone. Continue →

New research calls for Personal Injury Commissioner

Changes including establishing a Personal Injury Commissioner are needed to help the hundreds of thousands of injured New Zealanders whose claims are declined each year by ACC, important new research has found The Law Foundation-backed research also calls for change to the way ACC determines injury causation. Continue →

Cutting corners costs cropping company

Disregard for employee health and safety left a worker a tetraplegic and resulted in a total of $386,300 in fines and reparation for a horticultural company and its director  Wai Shing Ltd and its director Franklin Wai Shing were each charged in the Pukekohe District Court under section 6 of the Health and Safety in Employment Act (1992) for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its employee while at work. Continue →

Are you losing your grip?

Are your employees exposed to or suffer from debilitating and frustrating carpal tunnel and OOS, asks Hasmate Director Gordon Anderson During a conversation, a friend’s son-in-law mentioned he had worked in the forest industry for eight years and had operated a log recovery excavator with a Waratah head that required  him to multifunction by working a set of toggle controls. Continue →

Automated software helping boost health and safety

Automated health and safety software is in hot demand following the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 says Hamish Howard, managing director of leading health and safety software provider Assura Speaking recently to the National Business Review, lawyer Sarah Shortall, best known for representing Pike River directors following the 2010 disaster, put the need for New Zealand to change behaviour succinctly: “Some of the ‘great’ aspects of New Zealand workplace culture – including working hard and getting things done and being innovative – have had the unintended, negative consequence of workers taking some shortcuts – not with an intent, in my view, to make people unhealthy or unsafe but rather to just get on and get work completed.” While I understand her sentiment, it’s important to remember that EVERYONE, workers and employers, have a duty to make sure the workplace is safe and healthy. Continue →

Taking aim at better farm safety

Duck shooting season is an ideal time to remind farmers of their duties with regard to events and visitors under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, WorkSafe believes The health and safety regulator wants to remind farmers that the law insists they ensure that work areas on the farm are safe, and don’t pose a risk to the health and safety of any person. Continue →

Beware the hidden dangers of timber blocks

  Using timber blocks to support or stabilise a large piece of equipment or a heavy load has long been accepted practice, but experience has shown that it’s not the safest or most efficient option Occupational health and safety professionals know that timber, when used as a support, is a serious safety risk for workers, being unpredictable, unsafe and unnecessary. Continue →

Manage strangulation hazards on play equipment

Strangulation can cause serious injury, and in some cases death, WorkSafe NZ warns The health and safety regulator notes that there have been incidents where a young child has become entangled in a rope or cord while playing on play equipment. Continue →

New location system for mobile emergency calls

A new caller location system for 111 mobile phone calls will improve public safety and help save lives, ministers claim “The new system will automatically provide emergency services with a probable location of a caller when they dial 111,” Police Minister Paula Bennett says. Continue →

On-site tool service for better workplace safety

On-site tool servicing not only cuts downtime and optimises efficiency, it also helps improve and maintain workplace safety  Not having to ship out valuable maintenance and fabrication tools – including torque wrenches, hand pumps or cylinders – just for a service or calibration means staff can get back to the job quicker. Continue →

Keep talking for safer farms

A former Young Farmer of the Year stresses the importance of communication when it comes to farm safety David Kidd grew up on a farm with strong verbal communication around health and safety. Continue →

Quad clarification clears the confusion

WorkSafe New Zealand has clarified the circumstances in which it is acceptable to carry passengers on single-seat quad bikes, in consultation with Federated Farmers, Beef + Lamb NZ, and DairyNZ Under the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 2015, persons conducting a business or undertaking such as farming must identify and manage risks arising from work, so far as is reasonably practicable. Continue →

Shining a light on melanomas not caused by the sun

‘Slip, slop, slap’ is synonymous with playing it safe in the sun whether at work or play, but new research tells a different story for those affected by rarer forms of melanoma The genetic study has found that melanomas on the hands and feet (known as acral) and internal surfaces (known as mucosal) are not linked to ultraviolet (UV) radiation – in contrast to melanoma of the skin, which is strongly related to UV radiation. Continue →

New online logbook and work time refresher course

DT Driver Training has added a logbook and work time refresher module to its Fleet Driver Training Plan It helps companies ensure that their drivers know how to fill out their logbooks and calculate their work time, and therefore avoid fines and demerits. Continue →

Diabetes app forecasts blood sugar levels

First-of-its-kind, personalized glucose forecasting tool may make meal planning simpler for type 2 diabetes patients Researchers have developed a personalized algorithm that predicts the impact of particular foods on an individual’s blood sugar levels, according to a new study. Continue →

New licensing system for asbestos removal

The recent asbestos regulation changes mean a move from certificate of competency to a licencing system, WorkSafe advises All Certificates of Competence will expire on or before 4 April 2018, when the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 take full effect. Continue →

The power of exercise for mental health

Exercise helps to relieve stress, improve sleep patterns, boost the mood, improve concentration and sharpen the memory; making for better workers, colleagues and employees It is also widely recognised as an effective tool to relieve moderate depression and anxiety symptoms and prevent relapses. Continue →

Site Safe launches online learning

Site Safe has launched its first-ever blended online course The not-for-profit membership health and safety organisation has designed a new course combining the advantages of online and in-class learning, so trainees will now have even more flexibility when they renew Site Safety Cards (Passports). Continue →

Some emergency kits a recipe for disaster

A Consumer NZ report on pre-made emergency survival kits provides a timely reminder for businesses and employers concerned about staff safety The consumer organisation found most either lacked key items, contained gear of poor quality or weren’t good value Consumer NZ looked at seven pre-made “getaway” kits that claim to have most of the gear one person needs to survive for three days when they need to evacuate in a hurry. Continue →

Updates: Buddle Findlay

Continue →

Safety in numbers – sharing HSWA duties

The new Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) is based on the underlying assumption that those who create or work with occupational risks, or can influence or direct them, are best placed to identify and manage those risks, note Sherridan Cook and Mere King It is intended to change workplace health and safety laws to keep up to date with modern working arrangements, which can contain multiple employers with diverse workforces made up of employees, contractors, subcontractors, volunteers and others. Continue →

Hosting drinks?  Be sure to think

The introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) is provoking a range of reactions – from the ridiculous to the sublime, and mostly somewhere in between – Lorraine Hercus and Hamish Kynaston note One example is the approach that some workplaces are taking to after-work drinks, or to the availability of alcohol more generally in the workplace or at work-related events. Continue →

Fatal Australian court case holds valuable lessons

The legal ruling is a timely reminder of officers’ responsibilities under the Health and Safety At Work Act 2015, warn Buddle Findlay Partner Susan Rowe and Solicitor Philippa Moran The recent Australian case of Brett McKie v Munir Al-Hasani & Kenoss Contractors Pty Ltd (In Liq) [2015] ACTIC 1 indicates that a narrow interpretation of “officer” might be taken by the courts in New Zealand. Continue →

Risks rise when tradies turn houses into workplaces

Health and safety risks are just as prevalent in the home as they are in many workplaces – if not more so – according to Buddle Findlay Partner Sherridan Cook and Senior Solicitor Alexandra Wallace   However, it is not until a home becomes a workplace that health and safety obligations arise under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA). Continue →

Clear disregard for safety proves expensive

Sub-optimal demolition work of three residential buildings placed workers and neighbours at significant risk of asbestos exposure and landed the home owner with a large clean-up bill, WorkSafe says The dangers of asbestos have long been recognised, which is why the extensive failings of P&M Demolition Specialists Ltd and its sole director, Jade Ngaha, are so disturbing, the health and safety regulator explains. Continue →

Assessing and reducing harmful sexual behaviour

University of Canterbury (UC) research is paving the way towards improved accuracy in risk assessment and better informed treatment approaches to ultimately contribute to reducing harmful sexual behaviour in the community, including the workplace UC Lecturer in Clinical Psychology Dr Sarah Christofferson is working with three community agencies involved with treating harmful sexual behaviour to validate a risk and change assessment tool. Continue →

Control risks as soon as they are identified

Fixing or putting in place interim controls for significant risks at the time they are identified would likely have prevented a visitor’s death at South Port New Zealand in November 2015, says WorkSafe New Zealand The victim drowned when he lost control of his vehicle and slid off a wharf which had not been properly cleaned. Continue →

Cycling or walking to work linked to health benefits

Active commuting by bicycle is associated with a substantial decrease in the risk of death from all causes, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD), compared with non-active commuting by car or public transport, a study in The BMJ has found Walking is also associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, but the risk of death from cancer was no different than non-active commuting, the results show. Continue →