Accidents occur, and people die every year because they do not understand the dangers of working in a confined space. They don’t take the necessary steps and precautions before entering. A confined space may be defined as an enclosed or partially enclosed space that is not intended or designed primarily for human occupancy, where there […]
19
Nov
Nov
Aged care workers have a higher than average chance of being seriously injured at work. In 2015 there were 494 new patient manual handling injury claims by healthcare workers in the acute hospital sector and 868 in the residential aged care sector. The cost to ACC in 2015 of the new and ongoing patient handling […]
16
Nov
Nov
Studies suggest that between one in five and one in three New Zealand workers report bullying or harassment.* It is not acceptable behaviour in our private lives or in public, and neither is it acceptable in the workplace. It is a Health and Safety issue that should be included in all Health and Safety Policies. […]
10
Oct
Oct
As a Landlord/PCBU this could apply to you. Rental Property Managers are contractors alongside other contractors you may employ (The property manager may employ sub-contractors). Read the latest from WorkSafe and apply your own circumstances to the various situations identified in this outcome. https://worksafe.govt.nz/about-us/news-and-media/take-your-health-and-safety-systems-with-you/ Our interpretation of this event, reads as follows: While the PCBU […]
18
Jun
Jun
When people discuss Risk Management for Landlords; we are often asked and therefore have carried out research to the question – “What if a tenant undertakes work on the property and something goes wrong?” A common question which the answer to may suprise you! If a tenant undertakes LAWN MAINTENANCE. If it is part of […]
15
Jun
Jun
Electrical tagging and testing is not mandatory according to the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, this is according to WorkSafe link. The Act does state a requirement to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety . This is a behavior action. Ensuring the provision of a safe workplace and maintained plant and […]
08
Jun
Jun
During the HSWA 2015 strategy consultation held in Christchurch recently the message of “The disconnection within WorkSafe and the mixed messages that come from them” was a topic of conversation. Follow this link to hear our General Managers feedback. Another recent farm death highlights the following example of this disconnect. WorkSafe has clarified the acceptable […]
30
May
May
Last week it was reported that employees of government agency – Housing New Zealand – had raised concerns with management reporting workplace bullying and that those concerns had been brushed off.: https://bit.ly/2soRzmg WorkSafe did not investigate, saying it did not consider the death to be “notifiable”. To me this continues the trend of WorkSafe ignoring […]
11
May
May
It always saddens us when we learn of someones family member failing to return home from their workplace. An agricultural company was this week sentenced in Huntly after one of its workers died in a tractor crash after clocking up a 17 hour work day – to top off an almost 200 hour fortnight…..full story. […]
10
May
May
In January I reported an opinion piece on Quadbikes are NOT a Hazard. I found it mind boggling that WorkSafe could allow a loop hole so big that it actually allows the users to increase the risk. SOP/ Operators instructions are clear – NO PASSENGERS! Yet WorkSafe have allowed passengers to be carried albiet “if […]