How safe is your workplace?

Eleven workers have already died this year in the construction industry alone

BY John Hilton 02 Aug 2019

Sadly, New Zealand in 2019 has seen a 10—year high in workplace fatalities. Eleven workers have already died this year alone in the construction industry, contributing 28% to national count which currently stands at 39 for this year 2019.

According to WorkSafe’s Chief Executive Nicole Rosie, businesses who struggle to make ends meet and have small margins are compromising safety as they still see Health & Safety compliance as an extra cost which can be skimped on.

In a booming construction industry, smaller businesses in particular are called upon to engage in projects and challenges they aren’t used to and accidents occur, added Rosie.

“There is no reason why that level of harm needs to go up with increased economic activity,” she said.

“What we need is our workplaces to plan and design that extra work in a way that’s safe.”

Indeed, WorkSafe NZ was formed by the Government following the Pike River Mine tragedy in 2010, tasked to reduce fatal and serious non-fatal work-related injuries by 25% by the year 2020.

Meanwhile, five organisations are being awarded grants for innovative projects that help reduce injuries in the workplace, and help to make progress in protecting the wellbeing of working New Zealanders.

The grants are part of ACC’s new $22 million injury prevention incentive programme for businesses over the next five years.

The successful applicants are the Food and Grocery Council, Forestry Industry Safety Council, Construction Health and Safety New Zealand (CHASNZ), Beca, and a collective made up of the Auckland, Hawke’s Bay and Hutt Valley District Health Boards.

“Kiwis are well-known around the world for being innovative and hard working. That’s great, but the sad truth is that we also have an unacceptably high rate of workplace accidents compared to international standards,” said ACC Minister Iain Lees-Galloway.

“These grants we’re announcing today are about supporting business innovation and strengthening leadership on health and safety in our high-risk sectors.”

Lees-Galloway added that the projects include virtual reality, smartphone apps, and intervention training.

“These injury prevention grants will help ensure New Zealanders return home to their friends and whanau safe and healthy after work. They align with the Health and Safety at Work Strategy I announced late last year to drive sustainable, system-wide improvements.

“It is particularly encouraging to see two successful applicants, CHASNZ and Beca, working together to find modern safety solutions for the construction sector that is experiencing its worst fatality rate in a decade, with 11 deaths already this year.”