Accident triggers traffic alert in barns, sheds
WorkSafe New Zealand is calling on farmers to consider how vehicles move inside their barns and sheds, following a sentencing for a death at one of South Canterbury’s biggest agribusinesses.
ACC and WorkSafe New Zealand have launched the inaugural 'Reducing Harm in New Zealand Workplaces Action Plan'.
The 'Reducing Harm in New Zealand Workplaces Action Plan' is taking a new look at how, together, we can better support the agriculture, construction, forestry, manufacturing and health sectors to make significant improvements to keep their workers safe.
The plan also focuses on the most common causes of injury across all sectors – slips, trips and falls; working in and around vehicles; body stressing, and respiratory health risks. Underlying this is a new focus on fundamental changes that support health and safety culture, such as worker engagement and participation.
The Plan supports their collaborative efforts to meet the government's target of reducing serious injuries and fatalities in the workplace by at least 25% by 2020.
"Our agencies are committed to working in partnership with industry to meet the government's target and achieve positive health and safety outcomes for all New Zealanders," says ACC's chief customer officer, Sid Miller. "Partnering with industry gives us a more in-depth understanding of what causes harm and severe injury across all New Zealand workplaces, rather than just single problems in single sectors."
WorkSafe's chief executive, Gordon MacDonald, says input from both agencies would ensure better outcomes. "What businesses want to see from WorkSafe and ACC is clear advice and a consistent, practical approach. That's what the Plan will help us deliver – smart, targeted injury and harm prevention programmes based on the best available evidence."
However government agencies cannot do it alone. Everyone has a role to play in keeping themselves, their co-workers and their working environment safe. "Good health and safety is about making sure we all take the right steps to keep ourselves and our workmates safe and healthy at work" says MacDonald.
There are a number of programmes in the Plan already underway, including Safetree, Safer Farms and the Canterbury rebuild programme. Other programmes are in the development stage, which means we are engaging with stakeholders and gathering evidence and data to support interventions.
"Industry and business can have confidence that we've taken an evidence-based approach to severe injury and harm prevention; that what we are delivering for and with industry are agreed, targeted and smart approaches to tackling the causes of severe injury and harm," says Miller.
"Businesses, workers and the public rightly expect government agencies to work together and the three-year Plan is a major step towards a smarter, more co-ordinated approach to keeping New Zealanders safe and healthy," says MacDonald.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) awards. As part of a series looking at this year’s rural winners, Leo Argent talked with Ginny Dodunski, winner of the Veterinary Impact Award for raising the profile of the Wormwise programme.
OPINION: The appendage swinging contest between the US and China continues, with China hitting back with a new rate of…
OPINION: The irony of President Trump’s tariff obsession is that the worst damage may be done to his own people.