Features & Current Events

New Registered Inspector Programme for MEWPs
Large variances in the quality of inspections and the abilities of inspectors have driven the Elevating Work Platform Association of New Zealand Inc. Continue →

Health and safety enforcement measures a live wire
When the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) came into force in April 2016, there was much discussion about the new enforcement measures introduced to ensure duty holders complied with their obligations, Graeme Tanner and Joseph Williams note
The HSWA signalled a clear legislative intent to ensure duty holders under the HSWA were held accountable where acts or omissions in a workplace caused, or created an undue risk of, harm. Continue →

Inspection doors protect in harsh environments
Intertec has developed a unique inspection door for outdoor equipment protection enclosures. Continue →

AI tech deployed after chemical burn incident
Following a WorkSafe investigation into an incident where an Ecostore worker suffered chemical burns to his eyes, the business is investing over $323,000 into improving its health and safety practices as part of an enforceable undertaking
AI technology with real time hazard alerts is central to a new safety commitment WorkSafe New Zealand has accepted from the well-known household brand, Ecostore. Continue →

Is your virtual background making you unproductive?
As working from home remains common, so does fatigue from virtual meetings, but new research points to one quick fix that might help
On many videoconferencing platforms users can set virtual backgrounds. Continue →

Injury prompts $0.5m investment in safety and AI
WorkSafe has accepted an enforceable undertaking (EU) worth $481,000 from timber manufacturer Claymark after one of its workers lost two fingers on the job
AI-driven hazard detection is coming to timber manufacturing, thanks to a new agreement worth nearly half a million dollars between WorkSafe New Zealand and a major player in the wood processing industry. Continue →

More workers testing positive for meth
The surge is consistent with rising wastewater statistics and confirms that meth supply remains readily available nationwide, having serious implications for workplace safety and productivity, warns The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) Chief Executive Glenn Dobson
New national data shows methamphetamine is growing and making up a disproportionate share of non-negative workplace drug test results. Continue →

What to think about when picking the right PPE
The specific hazards that may be encountered on the job are among the factors you should carefully consider before choosing personal protective equipment (PPE)
PPE is an essential component of any tradesperson’s toolkit. Continue →

New Zealand introduces its first Fluid Power Engineering Certification
For the first time, New Zealand has a dedicated certification for fluid power engineering, providing new training and career path options to those in the hydraulics and pneumatics industries
The Certificate in Fluid Power Engineering Fundamentals (Level 3) approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is the result of sustained effort by several key people in the industry and of a newly formed New Zealand Fluid Power Association. Continue →