By NZISM Master account
03/07/2024
Kia koutou members and supporters of NZISM. I have recently read Been there. Done that – a report into New Zealand’s repeated health and safety failings, released from the Business Leaders' Health and Safety Forum, and if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, here is a quick summary. I do qualify, however, it's not for the faint-hearted, and a depressing read.
In response to the findings in the Forum's 2023 State of a Thriving Nation report, which exposed Aotearoa New Zealand's sluggish and costly safety improvements, the Business Leaders' Health and Safety Forum established a task force. This group, comprised of experienced leaders, CEOs, and directors, was tasked with identifying the root causes of the problem.
It highlights the following areas of concern:
The report proposes five recommendations for a system overhaul to kickstart significant progress.
The report urges immediate action to turn the tide on New Zealand's workplace safety record. To be blunt, it reflects concerns I believe many of us have held for some time. Many of the calls echo what you’ve told us in the recent NZISM survey. The Taskforce calls on the Government to invest heavily in health and safety reform, guidance and enforcement at a time when our public service is experiencing widespread cuts. We agree.
It is timely, then, that the Government has launched a consultation on the work health and safety regulatory system. This consultation seeks feedback on how organisations approach health and safety decisions; the clarity of health and safety regulations; how workers are involved in safety practices; interactions with regulators; and the overall effectiveness of the work health and safety system. They are also open to hearing our thoughts on any other aspects of this system and it is important that NZISM and our members have a voice in this process.
Submissions will close on 31 October 2024; you will hear more from us at NZISM on this in the coming months. The Minister will also be travelling the country and we encourage you to go along to public sessions of her roadshow.
Ngā mihi
Robyn Bennett
President, NZISM
Thank you for joining the Women in Safety Excellence (WISE) network.
We hold various online and face-to-face events throughout the year and if one occurs near you, we would love to meet you in person.
LinkedIn - Please make sure you join our LinkedIn group to stay connected and on top of our planned webinars and events. We encourage you to post anything in the WISE group page that you think other network members would find useful or inspiring. Please don't be shy. The more we reach out, the more we connect with each other, and the more we can help each other on our journeys.
We might send you the occasional email but our web page on the NZISM website is always the best place to go for an overview of what's coming up in the WISE calendar.
Best wishes,
Margaret van Schaik
WISE Chair