Simplyfying health & safety in New Zealand

Hi and welcome to my piece of the blogging empire. I have started posting to help educate people, start discussions and question your current theories around health & safety in New Zealand as I walk this exciting dynamic and fascinating new path in my life.

Since 1998 I have been a passionate adventure activity professional, instructing, guiding and teaching multiple outdoor pursuits, managed multiple adventure activity centres and programmes around the North Island of New Zealand, owned and operated an industrial rope access company, was a full time fireman and thought I knew a thing or two about managing health & safety, then I did an accredited safety auditors course and got to fully look at the Health & Safety Employment Act (1992) and my eyes were opened.

So I started on a crusade, a crusade that kept being held up by the fact I was running a rapidly expanding adventure activity business.

Now on a path to being a health and safety practitioner, and in a very short space of time having learnt so much about applying simple robust health and safety principles (but still with so much more to learn) I sit here reflecting on my journey to date and asking 'was it all just luck, I did not kill anyone?' I don't believe the answer is completing 'yes'. But I unfortunately do believe it had a large part to play.

There is this piece of New Zealand Law that can drastically change your life without you even knowing it and the line 'ignorance is bliss' does not cut it here. Not only can this impact you legally resulting in fines, reparation payments and jail time... but morally too. Ask yourself the question 'how would I feel having killed someone, knowing I could have done something about it?' And this does not only apply to business owners, but employees too.

This is a very exciting time as New Zealand prepares for the largest change in this area in over 20 years.

Follow me through my journey as I try break it down simply and apply it to a some experiential education work I help out on. Looking at current legislation and the changes as they arrive.

I don't believe I have all the answers, I don't know if I ever will. So if you are more educated than me, have a difference of opinion and can still keep this simple then please feel free to comment. If you have some questions, get in touch and let's see if we can find the answer together.

Thanks!

Comments

If only we managed safety like we were camping...

We have just experienced the end of daylight savings here in New Zealand and as I adjust to the short days and dark nights that now await us, I find myself reflecting on a summer that was well ... just grand. The highlight for me was the purchasing of a grand old canvas family tent which would allow the family and I to embark on many adventures for years to come. Embark we did ... out the blocks with two camping trips under our belt already. We are going places. Now as the reflections from my grand summer swirl around in this head of mine and I wonder down the well formed path of safety professionals before me aiming to deliver inspirational training and sound advice. These two worlds collide. And I get it! Wouldn't it be great if we managed safety like we were camping? Trip number 1 , sees us off shortly after New Years. Trailer in tow and a weather forecast which would see most stay at home. After over four hours in the car and countless ' are we there yet's ...

Are you a team player?

Reflecting on the recent Francie incident (I use this word intentionally) it got me thinking. Am I a team player when it comes to safety? Shifting through the archives of my memory I draw on the conclusion I am possibly not. A harsh reality to contemplate. But they do say the truth is always hardest to bear. Why not I hear you say? Well I like to think I play well with others. I like to think I engage with others on safety initiatives. I like to think I follow all safety instructions when provided. So why don't I think I am a team player? Well how many times had I seen some unsafe acts and walked passed. How many times did I tell myself... 'not my issue' when I knew they could be doing it better. When I was in business, the sad truth was if a competitor had an incident outwardly it would be all 'thoughts are with'. But inwardly thinking how could I capitalize on their mistake? What could I get out of it? Now that is not being a team play...

Risk has benefits?

It is about managing risks. That is one of the primary requirements intended by the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. For me it should be the foundation of any organisation. Having blogged about risk before, I don’t want to be seen to be repeating myself. I do however feel it is important that when discussing risk we are all on the same page. Risk is not a hazard. Hazards create risk. Something I felt needed to be cleared up. For years people have debated over the definition of risk, and I have no intention of adding fuel to that fire. But we (the Health and Safety Profession) all agree. When considering risk we need to consider two things. The likelihood of an event occurring, and The severity of the consequence Now that we are all on the same page with traditional risk considerations, might I be so bold as to add a third consideration? The benefits Now I hear you all say... “the benefits of risk, risk ...

A simple and practical guide to NZ Health and Safety

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