Two reports have been released detailing to what extent New Zealand’s Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme preserved employment and supported businesses during the pandemic Funded by the Ministry of Social Development, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research Trust found that the program was good value for money, helping workers and small business owners more than if there had been no support at all. Continue →

The Accredited Employer Programme (AEP) can be appealing and cost-effective for large employers seeking to lower costs and self-manage injury claims within their workforce, Gallagher Bassett Chief Client Officer Steven Walsh says Facilitated by the Accident Compensation Corporate (ACC), this scheme allows large organisations to take control of their ACC levies, actively manage their Health and Safety environment and the total cost of when employees injure themselves at work, often resulting in better outcomes for their injured employees. Continue →

Safety technology can tackle cognitive and confirmation biases, uncovering often overlooked workplace risks and foster a proactive approach to ensuring a safer work environment, writes Soter Analytics APAC Account Manager Ashleigh Hourigan Cognitive bias, specifically confirmation bias, can severely impact workplace safety by leading organizations to focus on the wrong areas of risk. Continue →

A two-tier regime is being designed that will require anyone providing professional engineering services to be registered to ensure a base level of professionalism Cabinet has agreed to proposals to improve the occupational regulation of engineers. Continue →

Companies will often say that safety is their top priority, but priorities are on a list and lists can change, so perhaps it is time to look at safety differently Think about other company priorities you may have – efficiency, speed, revenue, profit – these are important. Continue →

Your staff will notice how you support them through this period and SJS says you want them to notice for all the right reasons, not the wrong ones Recessions pose challenges for both businesses and employees. Continue →

Civil Contractors New Zealand is seeking input from construction professionals on industry issues, workforce and technology in its annual Construction Industry Survey Now in its seventh year, this joint research project with Teletrac Navman aims to provide actionable insights to assist construction companies in overcoming challenges and capitalising on opportunities. Continue →

When it comes to travel, many LGBTQ+ workers are burdened with the responsibility of researching the legal system and cultural attitudes of their destination, World Travel Protection Security and Intelligence Lead Paul Trotter says A global survey of business travellers has uncovered the vital need for employers to make travel safer and more inclusive for LGBTQ+ staff members. Continue →

A 39-story construction project that “stacked” two hotels one above the other with a “foundation in the sky” halfway up has been recognised for the innovative ways it looked after workers on a challenging site Australasian construction company ICON won Site Safe’s Safety Innovation Award for its work on Auckland’s Voco-Holiday Inn Express hotel, which opened on Wyndham St last year. Continue →

The introduction of AI in the workplace brings along innovative developments but also challenges and risks for workers’ safety, health and wellbeing, finds a report commissioned by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work In 2020 the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) initiated a four-year research programme on digitalisation and occupational safety and health (OSH) with the aim of supporting evidence-based policymaking by providing deeper insights into the consequences of digitalisation on workers’ health, safety and wellbeing and how these are addressed at the research, policy and practice levels, as well as by describing examples of successful practices. Continue →

Two men have pleaded guilty to misleading an investigation into incidents where workers were potentially exposed to hazardous substances WorkSafe New Zealand is warning businesses that anyone who tries to obstruct, cover up or manipulate evidence or situations will be met with serious consequences. Continue →

The pandemic brought about significant changes in the business landscape. Stories like John Davey’s may guide the way as new challenges such as AI are set to once again change the status quo Many business owners were forced to pivot their careers in response to the pandemic. Continue →

New guidance will see road work sites managed based on assessed risks, rather than the previous compliance-based approach, Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive Alan Pollard says   The newly released New Zealand Guide to Temporary Traffic Management sets out how road work sites should be managed, replacing the Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management. Continue →

As 2022 finally fades in the rear-view mirror, ending the plethora of analysis and commentary, we brace ourselves to negotiate a sadly familiar conglomeration of new and long-running challenges The major events of 2021-22, especially the dramatic impact of severe weather and our controversial prolonged Covid 19 national response affecting the social and political landscape, are largely responsible for our faltering economy. Continue →

WorkSafe is consulting on a proposed safe work instrument which outlines requirements for certificates of competence in the extractives industry The proposed Health and Safety at Work (Mining Operations and Quarrying Operations – Prescribed Competency Requirements for Certificates of Competence) Safe Work Instrument 2023 will replace the gazette notices which have previously set the WorkSafe prescribed competency requirements for the extractives industry. Continue →

The Road Worker Safety Governance Group process to form a new industry steering group for road worker safety has concluded and representatives have been chosen from those that applied through a formal expression of interest process The group’s first priority will be to support the implementation of a new approach to temporary traffic management (TTM) as New Zealand transitions away from a government-led compliance-based model to an industry-led risk-based model. Continue →

The Prime Minister has announced that the adult minimum wage will be rising to $22.70 per hour from 1 April 2023, which will also effect training and starting-out wages This is an increase of $1.50 per hour from the current hourly rate of $21.20 and aligns with the 7.2% rate of Consumer Price Index inflation in the year ended December 2022. Continue →

A contractor’s work environment must be safe for everyone involved, which means having the proper first aid supplies and personnel in an emergency This article will discuss some essential tips and strategies for contractors to help them meet their first-aid obligations. Continue →

Employers who tell their employees to ‘leave their personal problems at home’ may be contributing to a more hazardous workplace by increasing the risk of serious, even fatal, accidents on site, a health and safety service provider says Stats NZ reports a significant increase in the proportion of people with poor mental well-being, up from 22 per cent in 2018 to 28 per cent in 2021. Continue →

A district council has been sentenced for its part in the death of three-year old Lachlan Jones WorkSafe New Zealand and Water Safety New Zealand are uniting to call for greater care around ponds, dams, and water bores, in light of new figures on drownings. Continue →