NZ Health and Safety at Work Act 2015

New Zealand's primary workplace health and safety law, designed to proactively reduce work-related harm by assigning clear responsibilities and requiring active risk management from all parties.

Core Principles

• Proactive risk management: Focus on preventing harm before it occurs.
• Primary duty of care: PCBUs must ensure a safe and healthy workplace.
• Worker responsibility: Workers must take care of themselves and others.
• Consultation: Employers and employees must work together on safety.
• Reporting: Immediate notification of notifiable events to WorkSafe.
• Investigation: Thoroughly investigate serious incidents to find causes.
• Continuous improvement: Implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

Action Steps

• PCBU: Identify hazards, assess risks, and implement controls.
• PCBU: Provide and maintain safe plant, equipment, and systems.
• PCBU: Ensure workers are trained and supervised.
• PCBU: Provide adequate and safe facilities.
• PCBU: Consult with workers on health and safety matters.
• Worker: Take reasonable care for own health and safety.
• Worker: Ensure actions do not harm others.
• Worker: Follow reasonable instructions and procedures.
• Worker: Use equipment correctly and safely.
• Worker: Report hazards, near misses, and injuries.
• PCBU (Post-incident): Immediately notify WorkSafe of notifiable events.
• PCBU (Post-incident): Preserve the incident scene.
• PCBU (Post-incident): Investigate the incident thoroughly.
• PCBU (Post-incident): Implement corrective actions.

Key Terms

• PCBU: Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking; usually an employer or organisation with primary duty of care.
• Notifiable Event: A serious work-related incident that must be reported to WorkSafe NZ.
• Reasonably Practicable: The standard for PCBU duties; means taking all reasonably possible steps to ensure safety.

Timeline

• 2015: Health and Safety at Work Act enacted in New Zealand.
• Ongoing: WorkSafe NZ enforces the Act, provides guidance, and investigates incidents.
• Ongoing: PCBUs actively manage workplace risks and ensure worker safety.
• Ongoing: Workers actively participate in safety by reporting hazards and following procedures.
• Upon Serious Incident: PCBU must notify WorkSafe, preserve scene, investigate, and implement corrective actions.

People

• Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU): Has the primary duty of care to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.
• Workers: Must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others.
• WorkSafe New Zealand: Enforces the Act, provides guidance, and investigates serious incidents.