TEEMAY CONSULTANTS		Contact:   Mark Avery Telephone:   +64 4 939 1628 PO Box 10-032 Wellington NZ Email:   teemay@paradise.net.nz www.teemay.co.nz
Occupational Health and Safety Management

Welcome to NEWS, VIEWS and your Q's
		CONTENTS _________ The Workplace Health and Safety Strategy for New Zealand to 2015  (11/10/04) Child fatality on a house construction site  (8/6/04) Archived health and safety comments (29/11/03) How to look after yourself at your VDU workstation (7/4/03) Do you have an office refit coming up ? (12/8/03) ACC Workplace Safety Management Practices [WSMP] Programme  (5/9/02) OOS Prevention Poster Do you have any questions you want answered? If you would like to ask us any questions or explore any information further, please email us at teemay@paradise.net.nz The Workplace Health and Safety Strategy for New Zealand to 2015 ________________________________________ The Workplace Health and Safety Strategy for New Zealand to 2015 is currently under development.   The Government hopes to provide a national vision and strategic direction for workplace health and saety over the next 10 years. Public consultation will continue to the end of this month ie October 2004.   To obtain a copy of the draft Strategy and a Submission Booklet, please click here for www.whss.govt.nz. 11/10/04 Child fatality on a house construction site ________________________________ Tuesday, 7 June 2004 was a sad day.   It was sad that a young child died while playing on an Auckland site where a house had been partially built. Under Section 25 of the "Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992" [HASIE Act], OSH must be advised if an employee of the builder - or if a self-employed person working for the builder under contract - had suffered serious harm. There is no requirement under Section 25 of the HASIE Act for OSH to be advised of serious harm to a person who is not working for the builder. Since OSH had not suffered a loss on 7 June 2004, OSH is unable to seek either common law or civil law action against the builder.   Why then would OSH investigate the 7 June 2004 fatal incident ?   Would that mean that OSH might seek a prosecution against the builder ?   Although, sadly, a young child died while unlawfully on the site, that is not to say that there was a significant hazard to physically fit adult construction workers entitled to be there. There are some interesting points in law. A builder would be hard pressed to provide a secure perimeter fence that would ensure that no person could enter the site without the builder's permission. Supposing a child fell while attempting to climb a perimeter fence and was fatally injured. Would the builder then be liable for erecting a fence that was not safe to climb over. What sort of perimeter fence could be fully effective in keeping trespassers out, and be totally safe under all conditions ?   That last question comes to mind, having in 1965 witnessed a pedestrian crushed and severely injured when a construction site perimeter fence collapsed under circumstances over which the construction company could not possibly have had any control. For the safety of members of the public, about all that could realistically be done is to post signs warning 'trespassers' to stay clear of the site for their own safety.   But merely posting signs is not adequate. Some persons would not be able to read a sign'' Some persons would ignore any sign; In law, unless attention has been specifically drawn to the sign, the reasons for the message on the sign have been explained, and the consequences of disobeying the message on the sign have been stressed, the sign does not constitute a warning at all. Of course, there is another aspect to the question of safety on the Auckland house construction site. Under the common duty of care, the builder - like any other person - is duty bound to take reasonable care for the welfare of another person.   Parents have that same duty towards their children. 8/6/04 ARCHIVED HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMENTS ___________________________________ The following health and safety comments that have appeared on this web page have now been archived:-.  Clarifying changes in the HASIE Amendment Act 2002 (12/8/03) Health and Safety Liability (18/8/02) Induction (18/20/02) Voluntary Workers (16/6/02) What is reasonably practicable (11/7/03) Please click on the ARCHIVE button to access them. 29/11/03 HOW TO LOOK AFTER YOURSELF AT YOUR VDU WORKSTATION _________________________ The following extract has been taken from the Teemay Consultants poster on VDU Workstation Guidelines - How to look after yourself. Even the best 'ergonomic' furniture needs to be adjusted for comfort.    Unless you are seated comfortably, you will be subjected to physical stress.   Your first important step, therefore, is to get seated comfortably. This ergonomic principles set out in this poster enables you to relax while you work at your VDU, by advising:- 1.   How to adjust your chair and sit comfortably 2.   How to arrange your workstation 3.   How to refresh yourself. It is important to reduce physical stress.  All of us need to go home at the end of our day without unnecessary stress.   When we receive the benefit, then our family can as well. The OOS Prevention Poster  sets out important guidelines for VDU users.    Purchase details are at bottom of this this page. You are welcome to view the A3 poster before purchase. 7/4/03 DO YOU HAVE AN OFFICE REFIT COMING UP ? _________________________ Of course, if you are intending to purchase one or more of the modern office chairs (or new office furniture), you should use the expertise of a professionally qualified ergonomist and "get it right the first time".    Some expensive mistakes have been made by purchasers without the benefit of advice from an ergonomist. We have all experienced time management with its advantages.    Working environments with ergonomic layouts also have their advantages.   They need to be designed with the needs of people in mind.    Lighting sources, reflective glare, availability of suitable working space and heights - are all factors to be considered.  There are wide varying differences in styles and ergonomic features in office furniture.   These differences are not always apparent at the time of purchase to the uninformed.   There are some units more superior than others, giving better value for the same money.   Teemay Consultants do not have any monetary affiliation or association with any supplier or manufacturer.   You will receive a qualified,  unbiased, and independent assessment of suitable chairs and office furniture to meet your ergonomic needs. 12/08/03 ACC Workplace Safety Management Practices [WSMP] Programme _________________________ The WSMP programme has a new set of audit standards applying from 1 April 2002.   ACC developed the initiative for this programme to encourage employers to create and maintain safe workplaces.  In return for putting in place health and safety systems for managing and improving workplace safety, companies who have registered with ACC for this programme receive substantial discounts on their standard ACC Workplace Cover Levy.  To obtain a discount, an independent audit of your workplace safety systems and procedures needs to be undertaken.   If the audit is successful, ACC will decide what discount is to be awarded and at what level.   The discount continues for two years and will apply from the first day of the month after your audit. 10% discount at primary level   15% discount at secondary levy   20% discount at tertiary level Do remember that good practices in injury prevention and continuous improvement of your workplace health and safety systems are being rewarded by ACC.   Your company has been officially recognised by ACC for implementing safe work practices - an esteemed award in itself - providing a leading edge over your competitors to gain contracts ! If you would like to find out more about the programme visit the ACC website on www.acc.co.nz, or contact Mark Avery - telephone 04-939-1628 or email:  teemay@paradise.co.nz. 6/6/03 OOS PREVENTION POSTER You should have our coloured OOS prevention poster which is laminated in either A4 ($5) or A3 ($10) size. Ask and you shall receive the size that you request, together with our GST Invoice. Please click on the visitor enquiry section at the end of this page. Do you have any questions  you want answered? _________________________ This is a free service.    Please email teemay@paradise.net.nz if you wish to contact us through this web site.   We would appreciate your contact details, together with your questions and any comments that you may offer about the services that you need.   Please be reassured that we observe the Privacy Act and will not relay your name or any of your details arising from this contact from you to any other person. We welcome any questions that you may have about health and safety.   However, if your question would require time for research or a site visit, we would discuss a possible fee.   Teemay Consultants will endeavour to respond to your enquiry within 72 hours.   We are sometimes out of Wellington, away from our reference library - in case we need to look something up for you.   We look forward to being of service. 12/8/03