No better investment than chemical safety training

SUMMER 2022 No better investment than chemical safety training

Now is the time to schedule your customised Responsible Care NZ Competent Chemical Handler course, conveniently delivered on your own site

Changes to our Global Harmonisation System (GHS) chemical regime applying from 30 April 2021 require accurate and timely advice - non-compliance could prove costly.

Competent staff avoid expensive and sometimes confusing compliance advice, while enabling an effective response to chemical incidents, often without requiring emergency services.

Inspectors and certifiers with years of expertise warn of a declining national workplace chemical safety performance.

A crucial factor is the continuing loss of onsite chemical safety advice, primarily due to replacing flawed but effective mandatory Approved Handlers with whatever employers now deem sufficient.

A second major chemical incident in the same public facility is a timely reminder that safe chemical management is not receiving the attention it deserves. Competent staff are essential.

Onsite Responsible Care NZ (RCNZ) Competent Chemical Handler Certification courses are tailored to reflect your chemical inventory and enable compliance.

Upskill the last of your HSNO Approved Handlers, update Certified Handler requirements and successfully implement the updated Global Harmonisation System (GHS).

For struggling, noncompliant business operators who are attracting attention from enforcement agencies, practical onsite advice from Competent Chemical Handlers helps lessen the load on a diminishing number of Compliance Certifiers. It helps to ensure site chemical safety measures remain effective.

RCNZ Competent Chemical Handlers (CCH) are increasingly in demand, resulting from our popular ‘Walk and Talk’ site visit to assess actual chemical management performance, identifying the need for specialist training, throughout the product life cycle.

Chemical incidents now guarantee media attention, often sensationalising the incident by highlighting persons adversely affected by unwanted exposure to chemicals.

This can irretrievably damage reputations to both customers and suppliers, particularly if employers have not taken all practicable steps to safely manage their chemical inventory throughout their operations.

When chemicals do cause problems, employees, customers, WorkSafe inspectors, local authorities, health protection officers and emergency response organisations all benefit from the expertise and product safety information available 24/7 from 0800 CHEMCALL®, our industry’s unique, subscription based chemical emergency advisory service.

Supported by thousands of compliant Safety Data Sheets (SDS) combined with their collective industry expertise and local knowledge, CHEMCALL® responders provide callers with comprehensive advice about how to safely manage the incident, safeguarding people and often avoiding business disruption.

Essential compliance tools

Ensuring staff are competent to safely manage the harmful chemicals essential to your business includes your effective response to a chemical incident.

To enable a smooth, cost-effective transition to and beyond compliance, you need compliance tools: - the updated RCNZ industry Codes of Practice reflecting our revised GHS chemical management system - your 24/7 CHEMCALL® emergency response subscription; and the all-important ‘how to’ advice arising from our popular site ‘walk and talk’ assessments - replacing your Approved Handler with our Competent Chemical Handler certification

These are all cost-effective measures which add value to your business. Talk to us today about compliance tools, which confirm you are a good employer, committed to safeguarding employees and our environment by safely managing your chemical inventory.

Responsible Care NZ

04 499 4311

www.responsiblecarenz.com

What employers need to know about Fair Pay Agreements

The Fair Pay Agreements (FPA) Bill has been passed into law, with the new system of employment bargaining to take effect on 1 December

The Fair Pay Agreements system brings together unions and employer associations within a sector to bargain for minimum employment terms for all covered employees in an industry or occupation. This means that these organisations will meet to discuss and agree on a set of employment terms for the work being done.

Throughout the Fair Pay Agreement process you have responsibilities to bargain on the employee bargaining side. This includes employees that are not members of the union. If an employee is covered by the proposed Fair Pay Agreement, the union(s) must bargain on their behalf.

Eligible employer associations, including industry associations, that are approved to be an employer bargaining party may bargain on the employer bargaining side. These organisations must also bargain on behalf of employers that are not their members.

keep employees covered by the proposed Fair Pay Agreement informed. What you are required to do by law is explained below.

Bargaining is between an employee side and an employer side

Fair Pay Agreement bargaining is between an employee bargaining side and an employer bargaining side. Eligible unions that are approved to be an employee bargaining party

Māori must be represented

Both bargaining sides must use their best efforts to make sure Māori employees and employers are represented in the process. This includes by: • getting and considering feedback from representatives of Māori employees/