ISN July August 2015

INDUSTRIAL

SafetyNews

PPE • ACCESS • CHEMICALS • HEALTH • INJURY • MANAGEMENT • ENVIRONMENT • FOCUS

July-August 2015 VOL 10 NO. 3 Price $9

The Health & Safety Reform Bill Sick buildings

Response guide

Mindfulness

Know Your Chemical Labels SIMPLE STEPS TO MANAGING YOUR WORKPLA CHEMICALCE S

Health Hazards

Acute Toxicity (fatal or toxic)

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2.1 including Flammable Gas 2.1.1A & B ol 2.1 including Flammable Aeros 2.1.2A

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• Skin Corrosion/Burns • Eye Damage • Corrosive to Metals

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Limited Quantities Dangerous Goods

Limited Quantities (Air) Dangerous Goods

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Ensure chem icals are corre packaged ctly and labelled.

Ensure SDS are available 10 minutes within [ACoP].

Provide corre ct Personal Protective Equipment [PPE].

SAFELY YOUR SI MANAGE chemicTE als

MANAGE THE RISK

Obtain advic e from: Person in Charg e, Approved Handlers.

Chemical Supp liers.

Group Stand ards includ Site and Stora ing ge Conditions .

Approved Codes of Pract ice [ACoPs].

Health & Safet y Inspectors .

Hazardous Substance s Enforceme nt Officers.

Test Certifiers.

Industry Asso ciation.

Correctly segre gate and store chemicals [ACoP].

Ensure Seco ndary Cont ainment is place [ACo in P].

Provide appro priate fire extinguish ers and spill kits.

Install Emer gency Show adjacent to ers/E chemical opera yewash tions.

Provide traine d First Aider s.

Review site signage [ACo P] Develop and annually test emergenc y response plan [ACo P].

Verify the

need for: Test Certificate s.

Approved Handlers.

Location Test Certificate s.

Stationary Container Systems [Bulk Stora ge] [ACoP].

Gases Under Pressure

a helping hand Site Plan must

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Atmosphe re Zones.

Hazardous Control Zone s.

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Responsib le for secur ity and manageme nt of chem icals [HSNO].

Identify each chemical prod particularly Tracked subst uct you have, ances.

Record the Hazard class maximum ification and quantities at any one in this Regis time, ter.

Obtain Comp liant Safet y Data Shee (SDS) from your supp lier [ACoP]. ts

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Appoint a ‘Person in Charge

Maintain a Site Haza rd Register

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STORAGE

ANCES

S SUBST AZARDOU

• Carcinogen • Mutagenicity • Reproductive Toxicity • Respiratory Sensitizer • Target Organ Toxicity • Aspiration Toxicity

RMA

Another Responsible Care New Zealand workplace chemical safety initiative

IBUILDING

CODE

Phone +64 4 499 4311 DATED MAY 2015

RCNZ copyright 2015©

Another Resp

onsible Care

New Zeala

IT’S ALL HERE! www.resp

nd chemical

onsiblecar

safety initia

enz.com

tive

Our unique HSNO Approved Codes and chemical safety posters make it as easy and stress-free as possible to safely manage your workplace chemicals.

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F I R S T W O R D > > To o l b ox Ti m e

Check out the hazards to cut the risk Just because the job is small doesn’t mean the risks are too

Smaller constructions sites account for the highest proportion of work-related deaths in the construction sector

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house build, re-roofing work – WorkSafe New Zealand’s data shows that smaller constructions sites account for the highest proportion of work-related deaths in the construction sector.

Why are small sites more risky? There could be any number of reasons. Maybe the margins are lower and so corners are cut.

Maybe people are trying to do too many jobs on site and end up doing work that is outside of their expertise. Maybe it’s a lack of awareness about health and safety and a lack of planning.

Whatever the reasons, WorkSafe wants to help the construction industry manage risks at small sites better and has developed the Absolutely Essential Health and Safety Toolkit for Small Construction Sites.

It’s a starter course in the basics of good health and safety practice that you can slip into your back pocket and use again and again.

The toolkit covers a range of topics including working at height, hazardous substances and how to handle emergency situations.

In this article we will look at a Site and Services Checklist.

Whenever you start a job one of your top priorities should be ensuring the worksite is as safe as possible.

That starts with access on site: • can everyone get to their place of work safely, and work safely when they do?

• are access routes in good condition and clearly signposted?

• is there suitable edge protection in place to prevent falls?

• are any holes properly covered and marked?

• is the site tidy – are materials and tools stored safely?

• is the lighting adequate?

Before work can safely start at site you will also

need to think about the services you will require

in. And make sure there is a full first-aid kit that is

– and in particular electricity.

You will need power to get the job done, of course, but electricity can be a real hazard on construction sites.

As ever, a bit of planning at the outset is the key: • have all the necessary services required for the job been arranged? And have you identified existing services (electricity cables, gas mains and the like) on site and taken effective steps to manage the risk they may pose?

• is the electricity supply isolated from earth with a voltage between phase and earth conductors not exceeding 230 volts?

• are your electrical extension cords connected using a residual current device (RCD) or isolating transformer?

• are all cables and leads in good condition and protected from damage? What about the plugs and connections – are they suitable?

Are tools and equipment checked by users and regularly inspected and tested by a competent person?

• are any hidden electricity cables and other services located and marked, and have you taken precautions for safe working?

• don’t forget about overhead lines - has the electricity supply been turned off or have other precautions been taken, such as providing ‘goal posts’ or taped markers?

As part of your site preparations think about the welfare of workers on site too. Make sure

checked regularly – accidents do happen.

You will also need to consider protecting the public. Life will be going on as normal all around your site and you have a duty to make sure members of the public are not put at risk: • is the work fenced off from the public?

• do road works have barriers around them – and are they lit at night?

• Is the public protected from falling material?

• do you have clear signs in place to warn people of any danger?

At the end of the work day make sure your site is left in a proper state. Ask yourself these simple questions: • is the boundary secure?

• are all ladders removed or their rungs boarded to prevent use?

• have all excavations and openings been securely covered or fenced off?

• is all plant immobilised to prevent unauthorised use?

• are bricks and other materials safely stacked?

• have all flammable or dangerous substances been locked away in secure storage?

Planning is the key to ensure your worksite is a safe one. Before you rip into a project, identify your hazards and take steps to minimise the risk.

Investing a bit of time at the start of a job could be the difference between a safe, smooth job and one where someone gets seriously injured or worse.

there are suitable toilet facilities, including access to a clean wash basin, hot water, soap etc. You’ll need to think about meal facilities too, including a provision for boiling water.

Work outdoors can mean work in all types of weather – provide wet-weather gear if necessary and a warm, dry shed for people to shelter

The Absolutely Essential Health and Safety Toolkit for Small Construction Sites is available on the WorkSafe NZ website. It does not cover legal requirements and is a guide only. There is also plenty more information at business.govt. nz/worksafe/construction

www.isn.co.nz

3

THIS ISSUE >> July/August 2015 38-44 Cover Story The Health and Safety Reform Bill 38-39 Many duty holders struggle to determine what steps to take to meet health and safety obligations 40-42 WorkSafe and MBIE gear up to implement new changes for hazardous substances 42 Green Party reservations over the Health & Safety Reform Bill 43-44 Labour Party looks to further strengthen health & safety Reform Bill 44 New Zealand criticised at recent International Labour Organisation session

43-44 Labour Party spokesman for labour Iain Lees-Galloway offers some pointers to improve the upcoming Health & Safety Reform Bill 44 CTU general counsel Jeff Sissons reports on criticism levelled at New Zealand at the latest ILO session in Geneva Height Safety 6-7 Falling tools present a major safety challenge when working at height

PPE 8 Beca and Quality Hub have come up with a a Safety Smart App that works on any device Comment 10 Breathing easy is a complicated 3 WorkSafe data shows that smaller process construction sites account for the highest proportion of work-related Health & Safety deaths in the construction sector 11 Noise induced hearing loss is a 6-7 Michael Biddle says it is not just growing problem people falls that present a safety 12-13 Practising mindfulness at work challenge when working at height may improve safety 10 Choosing respiratory protection 32 Putting truckies on the road to equipment is an important process better health says Jeffrey Birkner 34-35 The quality of indoor air 12-13 Practising mindfulness at work can affect health, comfort and may improve safety says clinical psy- productivity chologist Anouk Kelling Environment 26 Being assertive and clear with 14-15 A new communications and communication can save lives acmanagement system to support cording to Moira Howson loggers 32 The dietary lessons learned by 22 A forestry harvester designed and Australian truck drivers could easily built in nelson is helping make the be replicated in New Zealand says Dr sector safer Marguerite Sendall 34 Sick buildings and how to deal Management with indoor air quality by Carol 18 Facebook chimes in with a proMcSweeny gramme linking families in a disaster 36 Barry Dyer says many health and Lighting safety practitioners are not fully con28-29 Driving at night in New Zeaversant with their chemical safety land is almost three times more responsibilities dangerous than in other countries 38 Buddle Findlay looks at the requirements of safety duty holders 45-47 National Safety Show 2015 under proposed new legislation Record numbers attend the com42 Green Party’s Denise Roche ex- bined National Safety Show & presses disquiet about some aspects buildnz l designex exhibition and of the Health & Safety Reform Bill seminars in June

Editor Geoff Picken 0212 507 559 geoff@ mediasolutions.net.nz Managing partner Phil Pilbrow 027 564 7778 or 09 489 8663 phil@mediasolutions.net.nz

Sales manager Phil Daniels 021 182 6468 09 444 5140 phild@mediasolutions.net.nz Design & pre-press Jamie Laurie jamie@mediasolutions.net.nz

OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

4

July/August – 2015

Sponsored Articles 9 Lynn River innovation in the design of protective gloves offers a range of solutions for industry specific hazards 16-17 Smart Move Products’ custom designs proving a hit for a range of manual moving tasks 19 Vertical Horizonz offers management and freedom with its “training partners” programme 20-21 Intaks offers a single solution to scaffolding requirements on resi-

dential and commercial projects 28-29 Being struck by falling objects and tools is a leading cause of injury says Capital Safety 31 Safety IQ training programmes results in people who are focused and committed 33 Safety ‘N Action has six national training facilities to simulate workplace safety situations 37 New rules around asbestos bring new responsibilities according to CEDA Environmental Services

Web development Neo Chen 021 507 318 neo@appsolutions.co.nz Publisher Mike Bishara 027 564 7779 mike@mediasolutions.net.nz

ISN is endorsed by NZ Safety Council

Supporters Buddle Findlay P8 Cancer Society P23 Capital Safety P24-25 CEDA Environmental P37 Intaks P20-21 Lynn River P9 NOSA P27 People Centric P5 RCR International P7 Red Cross P29 Responsible Care P2

Neglecting psychological health and wellbeing in the workplace costs Australian businesses $10.9 billion and New Zealand businesses over $2 billion a year.

What is it costing you?

Safety IQ P31 Safety N Action P33 Smart Move Products P16-17 St John P48

VAcciNAte AgAiNst the cost of work stress

Vanguard P15 Vertical Horizonz P19

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Free access to the industry’s most comprehensive, key word searchable archives in eight key industrial safety categories: PPE, Access, Hazmat, Health, Injury, Management, Environment, Focus.

Free access to daily updated news with the ISN online carousel Printed by Crucial Colour 24 Fairfax Avenue, Penrose, Auckland +64 9 589 1550 Published by Media Solutions Ltd 3c 12 Tamariki Ave, Orewa 0931 PO Box 31397, Milford 0741 09 444 5140

contact Peoplecentric today to foster employee health and wellbeing while enhancing performance and productivity.

+64 9 963 5020 www.peoplecentric.co.nz www.isn.co.nz

5

ACCESS

Stop the drops!

A hard hat’s effectiveness is limited when it’s exposed to falling bricks, rocks or other heavy items such as hand tools

It’s not just ‘people falls’ that present a major safety management challenge when it comes to working at height, Michael Biddle believes

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total of 275 people died as a direct consequence of a fall from a height in the period 2003 to 2012 in Australia – around 11 percent of total fatalities. Surprisingly however, an additional 227 people died in the same period as a consequence of being hit by a falling object – about nine percent of total fatalities.

Aside from fatalities, drops and falls also represent a significant volume of general injuries. Falls from a height represented over 7,400 workers compensation claims in 2012, with a median lost time of 7.2 weeks. Additionally, over 4,200 claims were recorded from injuries created by falling objects, with a median lost time of 4.2 weeks.

Given that these two mechanisms of injury are the third and fourth-ranked cause of death and significant causes of injury, the question is are these inevitable? Are they preventable with the right approach? I believe that most would answer yes, provided there is sufficient education, awareness and safety management systems in operation. The prospect of reducing these incidents is therefore very high.

Costly drops The cost of lost time in both health outcomes for workers and lost productivity time is concerning.

Importantly, it is also the worker’s families that bear the brunt of the impact of these injuries, through loss of income and medical expenses that may follow from the incident.

In addition, the loss of the items themselves can be costly. If objects are dropped over water, into mud, machinery, down holes and other difficult-to-reach places, they are effectively a sunk cost needing replacement.

While anyone can drop a tool, the chances are vastly increased when other environmental factors come into play. For example, high wind,

6

July/August – 2015

rain, greasy environments and even working with ill-fitting gloves can make the challenge of tool security an issue. For a comparatively low cost, and a different attitude to containment, these costs can be avoided.

Gravity works Certain job tasks and industries use ‘gravity’ to work for them. For example, the demolition of a building might allow for materials to be dropped to a lower level using gravity means, rather than a controlled mechanical descent process such as a crane and debris bucket.

Many buildings are also clad in protective mesh or netting to contain debris and prevent it from causing injury or escaping from the building envelope.

In most cases, these work methods are less safe than alternatives. They rely on the principle of containment, rather than prevention of falls in the first place. On most major metropolitan work sites, the incidence of this is thankfully infrequent. In locations where there is less supervision or regulator present, the same cannot be said.

Hierarchy of control Risk management, utilising the principle of the Hierarchy of Control, is considered to be the best approach to preventing injury. Engineering a hazard out altogether or utilising alternative means of access to minimise fall risks is best practice.

Wherever possible, preventing the fall of a person or tools through the use of guarding or barriers is the most appropriate means of protection possible as they remove the fall of people or objects altogether in the first place.

Only when there are no alternative means of prevention should fall protection equipment, including fall protection for tools and equipment, be considered for use.

Working at Height Association of Australia chairman Michael Biddle: “Preventing dropped object falls is not just the responsibility of the safety supervisor or the site owner” Primary versus secondary consequence When people consider the use of fall protection equipment, they are primarily concerned about protecting themselves or their workers and contractors.

Items such as anchoring devices, full-body safety harnesses, a fall arrest lanyard or self-retracting lifeline to connect between the two and some defined rescue means to allow for safe descent are the core components of a fall protection safety system. In this sense, they are concerned about the ‘primary consequence’ of a fall.

When it comes to items such as tools and equipment they use for their job, these are often however ‘afterthoughts’. These items are as equally as important to consider if they fall, as dropping them can have secondary consequences on the people working below them – or the innocent bystanders that are in the near vicinity. Although nuts and bolts, spanners and other lightweight equipment are physically small, once gravity is added the outcomes can hold grave consequences.

People don’t realise the impact forces that are generated in a dropped object. A 3kg item dropped 15m could create an impact force of over 500kg. A 1kg item dropped 50m will hit the ground at a little over 112km/h (excluding any air resistance). Even with some form of protection, the result of being struck by an item of relatively low weight can be significant.

Hard hats The use of general personal protective equipment (e.g. hard hats) can be a good front line barrier to reduce the impact of a dropped object if it is relatively light and not dropped from a very high location.

Their effectiveness is however limited when they are exposed to falling bricks, rocks or other heavy items such as hand tools, or indeed even greater heights. A hard hat does not provide any protection for other parts of the body such as shoulders and arms.

The economic loss of equipment coupled with the injury cost to the person injured whilst working below someone dropping an object is high. Even if there are no people in direct danger underneath walkways, dropped objects still have the capacity to damage surrounding equipment and machinery. Subsequent repairs can be both costly and time-consuming. But this risk is also easily managed if a comprehensive management programme for dropped object risk is implemented.

Containment methods There are various ways to contain dropped objects including: • lower the working platform to the ground/perform all work on a structure at ground level and then lift it into position once complete rather than taking the tools and equipment to height • kick boards and handrails should be fixed on scaffolding, platforms and walkways – by using additional closed mesh solutions,

Border Guard is a lightweight debris/ personnel system made for rigging nets around the perimeter of new concrete buildings to ensure protection, confidence and productivity

The chances of dropping a tool are vastly increased when other environmental factors come into play such as high wind, rain, greasy environments and even working with ill-fitting gloves plywoods or other solid surface materials, coverage can be provided for all the gaps through which items can potentially fall • utilise safety mesh or rated barrier netting (with debris lining) in areas outside walkways and underneath conveyors, walkways, platforms and along

building/structure perimeters to prevent the drop of materials to a lower level • utilise tool lanyards, tool cinches, tool pouches, tethering devices, holsters, tool buckets and other drop containment devices to secure tools and other items during work-at-height-activities

• p rovide worker education on the risks and outcomes of dropped objects and supply them with the means by which they can minimise that risk.

Preventing dropped object falls is not just the responsibility of the safety supervisor or the site owner.

It is everyone’s responsibility to manage these risks because the impact might not be personal, but it

Essential ProVal

P

Typical environments include glass etching, brazing, welding, sanding, demolition work and grinding.

ProVal P2 carbon respirator with valve has the added feature of the carbon removing nuisance levels of

ozone and organic vapours.

Typical environments include chemical processing, spray painting, agriculture, sanitation, hot working conditions, refuse collection and grinding.

Call us today!

0800 776 825 www.proval.co.nz

$18.40 P2 carbon with valve Respirator Features:

Michael Biddle is the Managing Director, Australia & New Zealand, for fall protection equipment manufacturer Capital Safety and the current Chair, Working at Height Association of Australia Sponsored article

Wear respirator protection in work environments that expose people to insufficient oxygen or harmful dust, mist, smoke, gases, vapours, fumes, fogs or sprays roVal P2 conical no valve respirator is suitable for oxy cutting, fumes and smoke, welding and grinding. The ProVal P2 with valve respirator has the added benefit of the valve aiding in expelling hot air and assisting breathing.

might affect co-workers and unseen bystanders.

We all have to work together to STOP the DROP!

per box 10 masks

P2 with valve

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EVA foam nose seal for added comfort Adjustable nose bridge for secure fit Valve aids in expelling hot air and assists breathing AS/NZS 1716:2012 approved Elastic latex free dual straps, sonic welded, staple free

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Carbon removes nuisance levels of ozone and organic vapours

$14.38 per box 10 masks

RCR International Ltd

C/O GBS Group Ltd, PO Box 51126, Pakuranga 2140 T: 0800 776 825 F: 0800 776 828 E: service@proval.co.nz

Why use respirators When the appropriate respirator protection is not worn you run the risk of developing health issues which could can lead to lung disease, cancer and in extreme cases, death.

Disposable/reusable A disposable respirator can provide effective protection against airborne particles at levels produced in many jobs, for example dust made by crushing, sanding, sawing, grinding or fumes that are generated when metals are rapidly heated - welding.

When working in an application that can release significant levels of gases or vapours, a reusable respirator made from soft plastics or silicone fitted with replaceable carbon filters matching those substances may be necessary.

When working long hours or a higher level of particulate protection is required - the work environment may have high levels of airborne hazards - then a powered air purifying respirator may be necessary.

www.isn.co.nz

7

PPE

Smart safety A free, simple yet powerful health and safety app that is used by several of New Zealand’s leading health boards is now available in the industrial safety sector

The Safety Smart app dashboard displays Hazards, Incidents/Near Miss and Injuries reports, which are downloadable in different formats and can be saved to any device

T

he Safety Smart App works on any device, providing instant reporting of hazards, incidents, near misses and injuries and creating a safer workplace.

Its unique real-time dashboard highlights the key risks to the company, allowing managers to target the areas that need it most and thus improve safety standards.

The brainchild of software development company Quality Hub, the Safety Smart app initially targeted

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July/August – 2015

the health sector and was an instant success.

“Safety Smart is unique in that it offers the opportunity to utilise background enterprise systems to support business processes, information flows, reporting, and data analytics in large organisations such as these,” explains Beca Health & Safety Manager NZ Chloe Stewart-Tyson.

Beca partnered with Quality Hub to provide business advisory servic-

es and saw the benefits of offering the app to a wider market, launching the industrial safety version at the recent National Safety Show.

“We wanted to engage small to medium-sized business in thinking about health and safety and provide a start-up tool to log hazards, incidents/near misses and injuries,” Ms Stewart-Tyson says. “It’s very easy and simple to enter data into the app via three simple forms, but the power really starts when you view the dashboard and its reports.”

The dashboard displays Hazards, Incidents/Near Miss and Injuries reports, which are downloadable in different formats and can be saved

to any device. “The app runs through the web browser so is compatible with any operating system, which means that off-site staff can report incidents from any computer, tablet or smart phone with an internet connection.”

The Safety Smart app can be up and running immediately after registration at www.safety-smart.co.nz, while plans are afoot to release an Android, Apple and Windows versions in the near future.

“Safety Smart provides added benefits to larger SMEs as the enterprise system can be switched on with a license fee,” Ms Stewart-Tyson adds.

PPE >> Gloves Sponsored article

Innovation in hand protection

Innovation in the design of protective gloves has resulted in a range of solutions for industry specific hazards

H

ands are vital to every aspect of our day-to-day living.

They carry out 70 percent of our total motor abilities and provide us with exceptional mobility and agility.

One of the most common requests we receive at Lynn River is for a glove that can stand the rigours of manufacturing, construction or engineering environments while providing excellent dexterity, grip and providing a barrier to a range of fluids.

Until recently this challenging brief usually involved a degree of compromise on at least one of the variables of comfort, grip, durability or liquid resistance.

That is until the R&D team at Showa put their thinking caps on and solved the problem.

Innovations in the manufacturing

process have led to the development of gloves such as the Showa 377 and 477 which provide full solutions to the challenge without compromise.

The Showa 377 starts with a glove liner created on Showa’s legendary “Ergo Fit” formers that mimic the natural curvature of the human hand - which in turn leads to a reduction in hand fatigue.

Next the ultra-thin sky blue Nitrile coating is applied over the full surface of the liner to provide an impermeable surface making it ideal for working in damp or greasy environments.

This nitrile coating has the advantage of providing protection against a wide range of chemical substances.

Finally, the black nitrile foam over dip ensures excellent grip is

achieved for the wearer even in oily applications.

These gloves are both thin and tough allowing precision work to be carried out even in the most demanding of conditions.

Not to be outdone, the geniuses in the R&D team then went one extra step further and created the Showa 477.

This version follows similar design

properties as the Showa 377 model but has been created using a thermal liner for extra protection from the elements.

To find out more about these innovations, contact your local safety distributor, or call Lynn River’s Customer Services team on 0800 10 45 68.

www.isn.co.nz

9

PPE

Breathing easy is a complicated process Choosing respiratory protection equipment is an important process that involves many factors, says Jeffrey Birkner

pirator is in contact with the skin for extended periods of time, the material’s feeling and softness are important factors.

Today, there are a multitude of materials from which respirators are made. Sometimes choice is dependent upon the chemical contaminant and the respirator’s resistance to the substance.

Once the correct materials are chosen, it is important to involve the actual users to see which respirators are more comfortable.

Seeing safely Vision is obviously a safety issue but it’s also a comfort issue – the greater the field of vision the more comfortable he/she is and the less apprehensive about wearing the device.

The dead space displaces oxygen in the face piece so the user must breathe deeper to obtain the requisite amount of oxygen. Additionally, excess carbon dioxide levels can cause a claustrophobic feeling.

In addition to the materials used in a respirator’s straps and harness, how well the straps hold the respirator in place and the design of the strap both affect overall comfort.

For instance, thinner straps tend to exert more force on the skin. Whether or not straps pull on hair and their overall tension adjustability also affect comfort significantly.

Finally, there is resistance or breathability – the easier it is to inhale and exhale the less fatigue created over an extended period of time. In fact, one study showed that increased inhalation resistance

“Having employee “buy-in” to the respirator programme is critical and should never be overlooked”

T

he most obvious factor is the type of hazard — this drives whether or not a chemical cartridge must be used, a particulate filter, a combination of both, or a higher level of protection.

The concentration of the contaminant will drive whether a half-mask, full-face, or higher level of protection is needed. Full-face respirators must also be considered when eye protection is required to protect from things such as irritants, or skin and mucosa absorption.

Other factors include the chemical resistance of the materials in the respirator, temperature of the environment in which the respirator is to be used, and how the respirator will be cleaned and serviced.

Vision, frequency and duration of use, and fit are also important considerations. All of these, as well as other programme elements, must be incorporated into the written comprehensive respiratory protection programme.

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July/August – 2015

One factor which is often overlooked is comfort – a respirator that is not comfortable is less likely to be worn. Comfort is affected by material selection, visibility, weight and ease of use as well as breathability.

Duration and frequency of use must also be considered when evaluating the comfort factor.

Disregarding the employees’ input in selecting a comfortable respirator simply increases the likelihood of non-compliance with the respiratory protection programme and the likelihood that exposure will occur.

Factors that directly impact respirator comfort include: • material • vision • weight • amount of dead space • the type of strap or harness and its ability to be properly adjusted • and overall resistance, or breathability, of the respirator.

Different types of materials feel different to the skin. When a res-

Lack of proper direct and peripheral vision tends to make people uncomfortable and will usually impede their ability to work efficiently. The less vision that they have the more they must rely on their other senses to detect and perceive signals, including hazards in their work environment.

Weight is important – the heavier a respirator the greater the user fatigue. Although a few ounces difference may seem insignificant in the short term, it significantly adds to the fatigue factor when a respirator is worn for extended periods of time.

Dead space is the amount of air that is found between the face piece and the user’s face – the less dead space the more comfortable the user. Dead space also contains residual amounts of exhaled carbon dioxide that affects circulation and breathing and can cause headaches and drowsiness – the greater the dead space, the greater the carbon dioxide load.

was associated with decreased work performance.

The US’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requires that respirators meet inhalation and exhalation resistance criteria, but only sets a maximum. The lower the resistance, the better off the employee and more likely that he/she will be willing to wear the respirator when required. Increased resistance can make the employee feel out of breath and claustrophobic.

Once the basic questions have been answered and the type of respirator chosen, the employer should obtain several designs and then have the employees try on the respirators to see which one they prefer. Having employee “buy-in” to the respirator programme is critical and should never be overlooked.

Jeffrey Birkner, PhD, is Vice President, Technical Services, of Moldex-Metric, Inc

H E A LT H

Keep the noise down Working in a noisy environment and having trouble hearing what your workmates or employees are saying?

Y

ou could be suffering from noise induced hearing loss (NIHL), which is a growing problem everywhere but one that is particularly prevalent in work situations - factory, shop or even the office.

Research commissioned by the ACC in 2011 estimated that approximately 445,000 New Zealanders or 10 percent of the population live with hearing loss, and about a quarter of them are affected by NIHL. The researchers found that: • approximately 71,000 (16 percent) have deafness that is due to NIHL • approximately 40,000 (nine percent) live with NIHL on top of other hearing loss • 95 percent of the people who have NIHL are male.

The highest average workplace noise levels are found in agriculture, mining, construction and manufacturing, though many activities outside the workplace can be just as noisy, such as: • ‘do-it-yourself’ construction and maintenance projects at home, like lawn mowing, using power tools and chain saws • loud music at night clubs, bars, live music events or fitness classes • listening to music on your iPod, home stereo or car stereo

• w orking or playing around a noisy engine, i.e. riding a motorbike, motor racing, waterskiing etc • hunting or target shooting.

Perhaps the easiest way to see if an area is too noisy is to try a simple ‘conversation test’ first. If you can’t have a conversation without raising your voice to be heard then the noise is too loud and you’re damaging your hearing just by being there.

When it comes to the workplace alone it’s a good idea for employers to get a professional noise assessment done, both to rectify any problems and also help meet the legal requirement to protect employees from excessive noise.

The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995 and the Approved Code of Practice for the Management of Noise in the Workplace all state that employers must take all practicable steps to ensure that no employee is exposed to noise above (a) eight continuous hours of 85 dBA, and (b) peak sound of 140 dB, whether or not the employee is wearing HPE. This means supplying workers with hearing protection equipment (HPE) and making sure they wear it properly and not over any kind of

beanie or hat because that stops it from working.

HPE needs to be worn in all noisy work areas and whenever someone is doing noisy tasks because even a short exposure to very loud noise (such as firing a gun) hurts your hearing, never mind being in a noisy place all day.

If HPE is worn, doesn’t fit or is uncomfortable to wear or the worker doesn’t know to use it properly, they should talk to their supervisor about getting training or something that works – proper HPE protects hearing for life.

The best way for employers to prevent NIHL is to reduce the amount of noise that is produced by equipment or machinery by buying quieter equipment – there’s an upfront cost but it generally pays back in the long run.

If this isn’t an option, see if you can: • substitute a quieter tool, machine or process for a noisy one • find ways that your employees can do their work more quietly, and if there are train them to work that way • get engineering assistance to reduce noise to acceptable levels.

Some engineering solutions can be expensive, but many are low cost and simple to implement - for example, researchers found that mounting the milking machine motor on a concrete block removed a major source of noise in milking sheds.

Protection pays Unfortunately, there will probably be some noises that can’t be re-

duced or eliminated, which means workers definitely need to protect their hearing – even though it’s sometimes challenging to make this happen.

Employers need to: • explain that while they may not feel any pain or have problems hearing now, by the time they notice NIHL it will be too late to do anything about it • work together with your employees and supervisors to identify sources of noise, agree on how you’re going to manage the noise (get a professional assessment and advice if necessary) and who will do what • make sure everyone does what you’ve agreed to do about managing the noise • lead by example - wear your own HPE consistently to show everyone that you expect them to do the same.

Using HPE effectively means you need to: • have each employee’s hearing checked annually – usually by an occupational health nurse or an audiologist • provide the right kind of HPE the Approved Code of Practice for the Management of Noise in the Workplace will help you choose the right gear for each job or environment, or you can get professional assistance • keep HPE well maintained and fit for the job it has to do • replace worn or damaged HPE promptly.

Unfortunately even effective use of HPE doesn’t guarantee protection from NIHL for everyone because some people’s ears are more sensitive than others, but it does greatly reduce the risk of suffering NIHL.

www.isn.co.nz

11

H E A LT H

Could mindfulness boost workplace safety?

An intriguing new strategy may help employers reduce accidents and improve employee safety and productivity, clinical psychologist Anouk Kelling reports

“A strong body of scientific research conducted with diverse groups of people has demonstrated very clearly that people who practice mindfulness experience greater physical and psychological wellbeing, and less stress reactivity”

Umbrella Health Director and Clinical Psychologist Anouk Kelling: “Mindfulness will help employees pay attention to the most important information, weigh options and choose the best strategy for responding”

A

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strong body of research evidence has demonstrated numerous health and wellbeing benefits by practicing mindfulness at work – including improved safety.

Many people are confused by the term, but mindfulness is simply the skill of bringing our attention and awareness to experiences and events in the present moment and observing these without judgment or evaluation.

This process of paying attention to what is happening in the moment can be applied to both internal experiences - thoughts and body sensations – as well as external physical and social environments.

For example, driving to work being mindful could include observing

• c uriosity - adopting a curious approach to what is noticed • openness - noticing new information or staying open to new experiences.

Mindfulness can perhaps best be thought of as the opposite of autopilot – when we go through our day or complete tasks without paying attention to what we are doing, are easily distracted or not “on task”, and are likely to have regular “chatter” in our minds that may not be helpful.

The scientific study of mindfulness has shown very clearly what is happening in the body and brain when people practice mindfulness, as well as some of the immediate and longer term benefits.

that the traffic is heavy but noticing and being aware of your frustration and then turning your attention to the road ahead.

A number of factors contribute to a mindful state: • awareness - bringing full awareness to the present moment • attention - keeping complete at-

benefit One area of the brain where there is a positive impact from mindfulness practice is the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC), a structure located deep inside the forehead behind the brain’s frontal lobe.

The ACC is primarily associated with self-regulation and cognitive

tention on the present moment • i ntentional - deliberately or consciously bringing this attention • non-judgemental – setting aside or not following any mental commentary or judgements is particularly important

control, helping suppress kneejerk responses and alerting us when we’re faced with competing demands.

Consequently, the ACC helps us to decide whether to shift our attention and switch tasks knowingly,

July/August – 2015

Particular areas of the brain

deliberately and with intention. The ACC is also associated with learning from past experiences, which helps support optimal decision-making.

Some scientists think the ACC may be particularly important in the face of uncertain and fast-changing conditions.

Conversely, when the ACC is “offline” or not working optimally, you might see a person easily distracted from a task and failing to pay attention to the most important information around them.

As such a well-functioning ACC is likely to be an essential asset – for example, on a busy building site where team members are working alongside each other on different operations under hazardous conditions.

Studies have also found practicing mindfulness improved functioning in the insula, an area that is activated when we are conscious of ourselves – including having awareness of our physical body.

Consequently, when researchers exposed meditators and non-meditators to unpleasant physical conditions, meditators had greater activity in their insula – in effect were more aware of this experience. Mindfulness could, therefore, perhaps reduce back injuries or repetitive strains by increasing our in-the-moment awareness to early discomfort.

Practicing mindfulness also has an equally positive impact on the amygdala, the part of our brain that puts the body into flight or fight mode when we feel in danger or under threat – important when we

need to react urgently and quickly but not so useful if we need to be in a calm state.

Mindfulness practice has been associated with decreased grey matter volume in the amygdala – effectively the amygdala shrinks over time with practice.

Conversely, as the amygdala shrinks a further very important part of the brain – the pre-frontal cortex - thickens. This change in brain structure over time is called “functional connectivity” – as the connection between the amygdala and the rest of the brain gets weaker other connections get stronger.

Aptly named, the pre-frontal cortex manages what is called “executive functioning” – essentially all the higher level brain activities such as creative thinking, strategic planning and complex decision-making.

Thickening in the frontal cortex improves big-picture cognitive functions such as emotional control and perspective.

Mindfulness also increases the volume and density of the hippocampus, our main learning and memory centre that is the brain’s working memory.

This effectively gives us more “space” for noticing and responding to our environments. With more space we can respond more effectively to challenging or changing situations.

Transitory states can become lasting traits A very powerful and exciting finding from mindfulness research is that the states or transitory ex-

periences that people experience during mindfulness practice can eventually become effortless traits over time.

Essentially this means that new neural pathways are being formed by practice and the functions of these pathways then become automatic over time.

Why is this helpful? Automatic pathways require less energy and effort, which means again that more brain function can be directed to the task at hand.

Mindfulness leads to improved self-regulation Scientists have suggested that the benefits of mindfulness occur via particular cognitive (mental) processes and a specific neurobiological process.

These “mechanisms of action” are improved: • attention regulation • body awareness • emotion regulation • change in self-perspective.

Mindfulness practice helps us pay attention to the most important information in our environment and our bodies, as well as manage emotions more effectively, enhancing the “big-picture” perspective and allowing better self-management.

General benefits A strong body of scientific research conducted with diverse groups of people has demonstrated very clearly that people who practice mindfulness experience greater physical and psychological wellbeing, and less stress reactivity.

Some of the specific benefits found include: • physical • lowered cortisol response to stress • improvements in immune function response • reduced experience of pain • emotional • improved emotion regulation • less emotional exhaustion • cognitive or mental • greater cognitive flexibility • reduced error rates • faster reaction times • increased ability to manage distractions

• • • •

less rumination others: improved quality of sleep improved task performance

Employee benefits While no specific research has demonstrated a direct relationship between mindfulness and improved safety or fewer accidents, this research on the general benefits of mindfulness and the likely improvements for employee functioning provide some optimism that mindfulness practice is likely to have a positive impact.

Integrating these findings with those of Theresa Glomb, Professor of Organizational Behavior in the Carlson School of Management, further builds the case for mindfulness as an effective strategy for reducing accidents and improving safety.

Specific benefits from mindfulness such as improved working memory are also likely to be very useful for employees in managing “too much information”.

Mindfulness will help them pay attention to the most important information, weigh options and choose the best strategy for responding, as well as managing their own cognitive and emotional responses.

Introducing mindfulness Using existing metrics such as health and safety data and other key performance data is a good place to start measuring the effectiveness of introducing mindfulness.

Assessing any change in these metrics following the introduction of mindfulness, and at subsequent follow-up points, then makes it possible for your organisation to evaluate its impact and effectiveness.

If organisation-wide initiatives are

employees or in comparable types of organisations and do check qualifications and references.

It is important also to recruit organisational leaders to participate in the training, and to support their staff in the ongoing practice of the mindfulness skills.

The importance of supporting frameworks to enable practice sounds obvious. However, the skills themselves will be of limited benefit unless employees are encouraged

difficult, start with specific teams or across a particular business unit.

Demonstrating effectiveness and ROI with a specific initiative then creates a strong business case for a broader application.

A second recommendation is to use appropriately qualified and experienced mindfulness practitioners to teach mindfulness skills to your employees.

Ask about their experience teaching mindfulness to similar groups of

to practice and opportunities to practice are provided during their work shifts.

These opportunities don’t need to be for long time periods, but they do need to be protected to ensure they are not swamped by other more immediately demanding tasks.

Anouk Kelling is a Director and Clinical Psychologist at Umbrella Health, which offers health and resilience training

Factors likely to increase the chance of accidents and reduce safety

Demonstrated neurological effects of mindfulness practice

Possible performance and safety outcomes for workers who practice mindfulness

Distraction

Improved ACC function Improved frontal lobe function

Increased awareness to competing demands on attention Increased ability to manage impulses Greater persistence Increased goal-directed behaviour Increased task performance

Stress

Reduced amygdala functioning and reduced size of the amygdala

Reduced stress Reduced emotional reactivity Better problem-solving

Fatigue

Improved insula functioning Reduced amygdala functioning Increased prefrontal lobe Increased hippocampus Increased connectivity between frontal lobe and hippocampus

Greater awareness of fatigue More capacity for learning and development Greater ability to handle multiple demands Greater ability to problem-solve and see the bigger picture

Complacency

Increased prefrontal lobe Increased hippocampus Increased connectivity between frontal lobe and hippocampus

More accurate forecasting Improved awareness Less biased decision-making Fewer accidents

www.isn.co.nz

13

ENVIRONMENT

Technology takes over the cutover

A revolutionary safety communication and management system designed to support loggers breaking out and falling could help slash the number of serious harm incidents

T

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he Logsafe GPS Monitoring System developed specifically for loggers combines GPS tracking, radio communication, data measurement and mapping software via a powerful touchscreen computer in the hauler.

The patented system can help with: • safe retreat management - lets the operator view the location of breaker-outs live on a computer screen and receive notification of entries into the no-go zone

“An alarm will sound in the hauler cab and the breaking-out handsets if a breaker-out enters the no-go zone while the ropes are moving on inhaul or outhaul – ensuring they are at least 15 metres from moving ropes at all times.”

The safe retreat position is clear: if the handset is beeping breaker-outs know to retreat further while entries into the no-go zone are recorded.

“This helps reduce the over-walking that causes fatigue and the under-walking that contributes to

• f aller monitoring - locates the position and welfare of the faller anytime • performance data - captures safety and production information to help manage the business.

“Logsafe provides the tools necessary to manage hazards and access to information to enable forestry owners, contractors and foremen to better manage their business by capturing data, measuring performance straight from the cutover, increasing accountability and awareness,” claims Logsafe GPS Monitoring Managing Director Joseph Brolly.

“It’s a simple-to-use system which complies with the safe-retreat requirements of the Forestry Approved Code of Practice and encourages the extraction team to be proactive with managing breaking-out hazards,” he explains.

The operator can set safe retreat distances quickly and change them on the touchscreen computer in seconds by entering the GPS position of the skyline anchor to establish the moving rope end point, entering an appropriate safe retreat distance, and choosing the safe retreat zone - Green, Orange, or Red. “The GPS tracking system then locates each breaker-out in proximity to the moving ropes and displays their position relative to the moving ropes and the safe retreat zone on the computer screen,” Mr Brolly says.

hazard exposure.”

Safe retreat performance data is logged in the computer database, including all entries into the no-go zone, and can be downloaded for reporting and analysis.

Breaker-outs can have input with setting safe retreat distances, which increases communication and awareness levels and helps produce more ownership of retreat performance. “It also means less stress and guesswork for the hauler operator as the position of each breaker-out is shown on screen in relation to the moving ropes and the safe retreat position,” Mr Brolly says. “It also helps the team be proactive with managing the hazards present in each line or pulling face, such as boulders, contour or rootballs, and provides more clarity and support for the breakouts.”

July/August – 2015

Safety sounds Go-ahead toots and verbal radio instructions take precedence over Logsafe communication but once the go-ahead toot is received, the hauler operator can confirm on screen that the break-out team is clear. “This last line of defence provides more peace of mind, particularly when pulling blind.”

As such, Logsafe provides an additional layer of visual information to assist with decision-making and communication in addition to toots and radio instructions. “In addition,

The Logsafe GPS monitoring system lets the operator view the location of breaker-outs live on a computer screen and receive notification of entries into the no-go zone

Safe retreat distances can be set in seconds by entering the GPS position of the skyline anchor to establish the moving rope end point, entering an appropriate safe retreat distance, and choosing the safe retreat zone it counters the tendency of breaker-outs to lose focus on safe retreat when tired, or wander toward the rigging returning on outhaul,” Mr Brolly maintains. “The handset will beep a warning of slipping standards if the breaker-out is inside a no-go zone.”

The computerised system means there are no cumbersome physical markers or extra equipment to carry - each breaker-out simply carries a Logsafe handset for all radio, GPS

and digital communication.

The waterproof GPS radios are programmed on forestry radio channels, and feature heavy duty touchscreen computer and components, specialist software and contour map displays. “It’s compatible with any cable-logging system and is suitable for use in all contour conditions, with either tower or swing yarders, running butt rigging, carriage, or grapple systems,” Mr Brolly claims.

Logsafe faller monitoring also adds another layer of communication to the traditional faller radio check-in system, achieving rapid response time in locating and assisting an injured faller and reduce the time delay in detecting an emergency situation.

Faller location is displayed on screen and updated every 80 seconds or the exact real-time position and GPS coordinates can be requested at the touch of a button. “This is useful when the faller is working alone in demanding country, or working out of sight hundreds of metres from the crew.”

The innovative system also provides two layers of emergency assistance: • an emergency button on the faller’s handset that transmits the location and GPS coordinates to the hauler computer monitor, activating an emergency alarm on the hauler and breaker out radios • and a “man down” alarm that beeps if the handset is on an angle of less than 45 degrees for over 120 seconds and activates

“It’s a simple-to-use system which complies with the safe-retreat requirements of the Forestry Approved Code of Practice and encourages the extraction team to be proactive with managing breaking-out hazards” the emergency alert process if the faller doesn’t move to a vertical position within 30 seconds.

A further benefit is faster emergency detection times compared with the traditional 30-minute radio check-in system, which could see a faller check-in safe and be struck unconscious five minutes into the next 30-minute work period. “With

Site Safety challenges?

Sponsored article

Logsafe, the emergency alert would be raised 2.5 minutes after the faller was struck unconscious,” Mr Brolly says.

Logsafe has the additional benefit of allowing the operator to record safety and production information in real time, and generating daily reports for management - including no-go zone entries.

It also measures drag cycles per day, log count, faller check-in, tree drives, and tracks downtime and breakdowns, which helps streamline safety recording and provides the business owner with valuable information. “We’re excited to offer new tools to help protect loggers and reduce injuries in the industry,” Mr Brolly adds.

PROBLEM SOLVED!

Y

ou will have seen us at the recent National Safety Show. Our solutions focussed team had some great discussions with visitors to our stand around the varied safety issues we all face on our sites.

For those of you who couldn’t make it, remember we’re only a phone call away, so feel free to call us and discuss your current vehicle and pedestrian safety challenges – we’re keen to help.

Contact us now for your FREE catalogue or view our website www.vanguardgroup.co.nz Phone: 0800 500 147 Email: info@vanguardgroup.co.nz

Pedestrian Safety Solutions

Traffic Safety Solutions

www.isn.co.nz

15

H E A LT H & S A F E T Y

Smart solution for balanced, safe and

D

aryn Murray knows about health and safety – he has to if he is to survive.

Working for 15 years as a shearing contractor with up to 80 staff and another 15 years as a shearer and working in farming, forestry and commercial fishing has given this Southland inventor a solid foundation and understanding of the importance of health and safety in the workplace.

“Shearing is an industry that pays on performance so we are always looking for more efficient ways of doing things. And safety – well that’s up to each individual to take ownership of.”

“I have regularly shorn 400-500 sheep a day. There are no light duties you can go on if you get hurt.

My biggest asset is my back so it’s important to look after that.”

When a farmer friend wouldn’t stop moaning to him about ‘moving these 200 litre drums around’ he thought: “I could sort that for him.

“We move wool bales all day that are that weight and some of the rams we shear are also that weight – and they kick back!,” he says I came up with a solution for him and he thought it was the “bees’ knees” and so did his mates - the Smart Mover was born.

Its unique design offered a much safer and easier way to move drums and has since spawned a range of other cost-effective devices with simplicity, durability, reliability and safety in mind.

The Smart Mover can load easily off pallets, be used safely on uneven surfaces or handling hazardous chemicals in steel or plastic drums

16

July/August – 2015

Mr Murray took his ideas and inventions to the National Fieldays in 2014 and it was there where things took off.

Today the Smart Mover has extended its reach way beyond the farm gate.

A mini version is finding a ready market with small business operators who cannot justify the expense of a forklift and both sizes are impressing bigger companies who find the Smart Mover more efficient than a forklift and less likely to cause product damage.

“The hero is the Smart Mover which allows the drum to be delivered safely by one person into the Smart Tipper, ready for dispensing or inverting the contents,” he says.

“It wasn’t just dairy farmers who were struggling, it was people involved in a range of areas including logistics, retail, manufacturers.

Central Southland Freight operations manager Corey Price says the company’s drivers love the Smart Mover.

“The balance is perfect and it takes all the strain and hassle away.

You can even walk it along with one hand.”

Occupational Therapist Jane Llyal of NZROT told Mr Murray that he has “designed a beautifully balanced product to allow the drums to be moved easily, using an upright body position.”

As a result of feedback from Fieldays, Smart Products has been working for the past 12 months with Health & Safety staff from many industries to provide safe and economical solutions for their manual handling problems.

The range goes from gas cylinders, kegs, whiteware, chemicals, oils and resin.

“Before you can design a solution you need to understand the problem. We don’t want to sell just a product, we want to provide a solution.

“Many companies that we have worked with already have a pile of unused equipment in their yards that didn’t work.

“If we simply sold them equipment out of a catalogue without understanding what they are trying to achieve, then our equipment could join that pile.

When Mr Murray set about designing the Smart Mover, his research found that drums were often delivered to a workplace on a pallet.

A common problem was moving them off the pallet in the first place – drums varied in weight from 200kg to 310kg.

In addition, many workplaces had uneven surfaces to negotiate.

“Then we discovered buyers also wanted something that would multi task and be used on other large items in the workplace.

“It is no good having equipment if it only solves one or two of the problems – you will still have an unsafe situation, he says.

Autotec’s Rob Fulton calls it a “pretty exceptional piece of equipment.

“We use it for shifting drums of oil, stacks of tyres and rims every other day and the previous trolley we were using doesn’t even come close.”

Still, Mr Murray has heard plenty of sad stories from older people

who have suffered injuries from moving heavy loads repeatedly in their working career with the wrong equipment.

“Every time you move large items with the wrong equipment, it’s like playing Russian roulette with your body’s health,” he says.

He has also heard some horror stories from close shaves.

“I heard on two separate occasions about power cords being cut by rolling a steel drum on its edge on a concrete floor,” he says.

For Mr Murray, it’s an endless search for knowledge to enhance his product range.

At the recent National Health and Safety Show in Auckland he spent quite a bit of time with ergonomists Marion Edwin and Sue Alexander from Motueka based consultancy Optimise. (Ergonomics is the study of how a workplace and the equipment used there can best be designed for comfort, efficiency, safety, and productivity. And those factors or qualities in the design of something, especially a workplace or equipment used by people at work, that contribute to comfort, efficiency, safety, and ease of use) He talked also at length to physiotherapist Alison Richmond, whose company Provention has provided consultancy services and injury prevention incentives to major companies which have significantly reduced strain and sprain injury rates.

“They are really passionate about Health & Safety and I learnt a lot from talking to them that I can use to make Smart Products even safer,” he says.

reliable manual moving

Kiwi ingenuity to the fore

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aryn Murray has well and truly earned his place as a graduate to the ranks of the South Island’s Kiwi Ingenuity inventors – Number 8 wire technology at its best.

Kiwi ingenuity’s illustrious history in the South began in 1890 when Invercargill spice and coffee merchant David Strang took out a patent for ‘Strang’s Patent Soluble Dry Coffee-powder’ and is credited with inventing instant coffee.

In 1906 patent number 21476 was granted to Temuka farmer Richard Pearse for “an improved aerial or flying machine”.

In the 1950s Irishman Creek station owner, Bill Hamilton, and his employees developed and patented a plywood boat powered by a jet propulsion unit to navigate the rivers on the property near Lake Tekapo.

No. 8 fencing wire was one of

the materials used by Christchurch engineer John Britten, when he designed a world-beating racing motorcycle in his spare time.

He overcomes this by always cutting an extra piece and putting it aside to use as a template.

“That’s why I’m only involved

The self-effacing Mr Murray would not compare himself to those pioneers but Smart Mover and Smart Tipper save lives and stop serious injuries – that’s qualification enough in most minds to grant him membership.

Darryn Murray will tell you he was no great scholar in his younger days.

He had plans of becoming and engineer when at high school because he always enjoyed making things.

That didn’t happen and it wasn’t till his late forties that he realized he had dyslexia.

“This explained a lot of things about the choices I have made in life,” he says with a laugh.

“I did ok in subjects like biology, chemistry and geography, but sucked in Maths – English used to confuse me something bad and still does.

“My ‘spell check’ hasn’t got a clue what I’m on about.”

In the workshop, Mr Murray still doesn’t use a ruler “I do everything by eye and what looks right. I frustrate others in our team when they go and build something off my prototypes because I don’t use or have a plan, or even

in prototyping – not allowed anywhere near when it comes to production,” he says.

He may not have become an engineer formally but Mr Murray has a good understanding of design and manual handling from knowledge learned “at the coal face”.

“People are surprised when I tell them that when we design something, we only focus on efficiency – getting the task done quicker.

“If we are successful in this, then it is naturally easier and thus safer.

Health & Safety and efficiency go hand-in-hand.”

“If you don’t make a product that is more efficient you run the risk of putting pressure on staff, taking short cuts and have less time to think. Many work places are under the pump a lot of the time.”

The family man says his final check is “would I be comfortable with my own son and daughter doing this task.”

“My children started working in the school holidays with me in the shearing shed to earn pocket money and I thought this was great as it taught them the work ethic.”

However, they are the ones who

measurements.”

have taught him the importance of

safety and reminded him of family history.

“Having my children working with me has shown me that a lot of our workplace practices need to change. We have got a real ‘jump in there and get things done attitude’.

I’m guilty of doing this myself.

“My grandmother and mother were widowed, both with seven kids from workplace accidents.

“I saw how our community was affected when we lost someone in the Pike River mine disaster and I had spinal surgery four years ago, the result of an old injury.

As a result Smart Products has what Mr Murray calls “a fresh approach to Health & Safety.”

“We don’t do manuals or audits – there’s plenty of people doing a great job of that already.

Smart Products has what it calls a “stick man” approach.

“We take it back to basics and look for a simple and affordable solution.

“We favour balance and gravity where possible,” says Mr Murray. It’s free, reliable and the government hasn’t worked out how to tax it yet,” he says.

“We focus on simplicity in our designs which makes them cost effective and reliable.

The company mantra is that everyone needs to come home intact at the end of a working day and we all deserve to have our health intact at the end of our working career.

We don’t want to sell just a product, we want to provide a solution Smart Move Products info@smartmoveproducts.co.nz

0800 3 444 333 Daryn Murray: 027 3 444 333

www.isn.co.nz

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MANAGEMENT

Harnessing the power of social media Social media should be an essential element in every disaster preparedness kit argues Mia Garlick

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ntil lately social media has been largely overlooked as a potentially invaluable health and safety tool.

Increasing numbers have been turning to Facebook to get information about what’s happening around them and to check in on whether their friends and family are safe in times of disaster.

Over 2.5 million New Zealanders use Facebook every month on average, making it a powerful tool to assist organisations, communities and families prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.

Throughout the world and including New Zealand organisations like the American Red Cross, World Food Program USA, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service and Federal Emergency Management Agency use Facebook as part of their disaster response strategies.

These organisations employ Facebook in a variety of ways, from providing tips on keeping people and property safe, sharing important updates as a storm front or fire approaches, or rallying people to help others after disaster strikes.

An example close to home is, of course, the Student Volunteer Army, whose members took to Facebook to help others, particularly the elderly, in Christchurch after the devastating earthquakes in 2011.

Civil Defence and the MetService also make effective use of Facebook to communicate important information when severe weather strikes New Zealand.

Facebook aims to help everyone get more out of its services during difficult times, and as part of that strategy the company has developed a range of guides and tools for organisations as well as individuals.

Prepare & respond June saw the launch of a New Zealand version of Prepare & Respond, a collection of worldwide best-practice examples for councils, civil defence teams and other emergency services to connect with their constituents and better prepare for and respond to natural disasters.

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July/August – 2015

The guide offers tips and case studies on how to maximise the impact of Facebook Pages, which are the foundation for a two-way communication with the community of people interested in an organisation’s work.

The different features of Facebook Pages — like Timeline, Cover and Profile Photos, and the About section — allow an organisation to inform and engage members of the public as well as employees or volunteers from other stakeholders.

For example, the guide provides tips about how organisations can manage their Page posting strategy to provide people with the information they need before, during and after a disaster.

Before: create a Page posting strategy to keep people informed in advance of any disasters. Regularly posting helps your organisation stay front of mind as a credible and reliable resource during disasters.

For example, post relevant tips to remind people of the steps they can take to prepare for a disaster that can strike at any time, like an earthquake, or severe weather or flooding.

During: timing is crucial — post regularly with photos and videos, share links to more in-depth information, and, when appropriate,

target posts to people in specific locations. Respond to questions and feedback in the comments sections of your posts.

After: post direct and clear information about where community members can receive assistance and how they can help in the recovery effort through donations or volunteering opportunities.

Ensuring that a Page posting best-practice strategy is in place can allow councils and other front-line responders to engage the public and help keep people informed.

Safety check In times of disaster or crisis its services have become an effective way to check on loved ones, particularly when large numbers of people are displaced.

This was evident during the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan when more than 12.5 million people were affected nationwide and more than 400,000 people were evacuated.

During that crisis people used technology and social media to stay connected and Facebook’s engineers in Japan took the first step toward creating a tool – Safety Check – to make it easier to communicate with others.

It is in these moments that com-

munication is critical for people in the affected areas and for their friends and families anxious for news.

If activated by Facebook, the Safety Check tool, which is available globally on Android, iOS, feature phones and desktop, provides a simple and easy way for an individual to let their friends and family on Facebook know they are safe. It also allows friends and family to check in to see if their loved ones in an area affected by an emergency are safe.

Facebook decides to activate the Safety Check tool based on criteria about severity and type of incident, and in consultation with relevant government agencies in the affected area.

The company also works closely with local government authorities including the Ministry of Civil Defence to identify if the tool can be helpful during an emergency.

To date Facebook has activated Safety Check three times — after Typhoon Ruby, Cyclone Pam and the recent Nepal Earthquake – and millions of people have marked themselves safe and millions more friends and family have seen safety notices that their loved ones are safe.

The comments on these safety notices from loved ones are typically expressions of love, gratitude and relief, confirming how impactful social media can be in times of disaster.

Download the Prepare & Respond guide at http://tinyurl.com/ pkmuvdk Mia Garlick is Head of Policy at Facebook New Zealand

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Height safety

Single solution to scaffolding safety No matter what the job INTAKS is the only scaffolding solution you will ever need

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ew Zealand designed and manufactured, the award winning INTAKS is a simple access scaffolding system providing guardrails for roof edge protection and working platforms for all trades to work safely.

INTAKS can be used for new home builds, maintenance, roofing projects and commercial construction making it a one-system solution giving builders more freedom and choices.

Lightweight and compact, INTAKS is a modular system has been de-

quickly be adapted to suit any job or terrain. In fact INTAKS can be assembled into over 15 different configurations to overcome many different working at height issues that face residential and commercial sites.

It can be also be jacked up under a balcony or eave to provide roof edge protection on existing buildings for maintenance, painting, re-roofs etc.

Because with INTAKS there is no longer any need for harnesses, workers are free to complete the job

signed to be simple to set-up and easy to adjust.

This means that INTAKS can

quicker doing away with troublesome lengthening and shortening of ropes as they complete the job.

This also opens up the labour field as workers can now work in a passive environment and no longer need to be trained in the use of harnesses.

With minimal ground footprint and plank spans up to 4.8 metres, INTAKS means a building site becomes more accessible and multiple trades can work together meaning shorter project time frames.

INTAKS is also easier and more cost effective to get to site and set up. INTAKS is 80 percent lighter than steel scaffolding.

The lightweight system means that INTAKS takes far less time, truck tonnage and manpower to put up and pack down.

The INTAKS system is certified as complying with AS/NZS 1664.1, Department of Labour Best Practice Guidelines for Scaffolding in New

Zealand, AS/NZS 4994.1.2009 Temporary Roof Edge Protection and AS 6001 Working Platforms for Housing Construction.

The interlocking system makes the planks strong and steady offering workers unparalleled support to work safely. The system’s planks also butt join end to end eliminating overlapping of planks and reducing opportunities for trip hazards and the dreaded 50mm death drop.

INTAKS is available for purchase or hire.

INTAKS has installers based around the country meaning builders, roofers and main contractors now only need to deal with one company for all their scaffolding needs.

07 577 6469 info@intaks.co.nz www.intaks.co.nz

INTAKS can be assembled into over 15 different configurations to overcome many different working at height issues

National Design Award winner INTAKS won Best Design Initiative at the recent 2014 New Zealand Workplace Health & Safety Awards

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he 10th annual awards ceremony recognised the people and organisations demonstrating excellence and achievement in workplace health and safety. It is supported by both ACC and WorkSafe New Zealand INTAKS was awarded Best Design Initiative to Eliminate or Isolate a Hazard for their innovative, dual-purpose work platform and roof edge protection system Lew Cleveland, a local for 30 years introduced Guardrail - the first residential roof edge protection system to the kiwi building industry 15 years ago after identifying changes in safe work practices being required.

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July/August – 2015

At the same time he was starting up a scaffold business, Scaffold Systems in Tauranga. As he built this business he was continually experiencing first-hand all the inherent shortcomings of conventional scaffold systems.

He knew there was a better way, so he set about designing it.

Intaks is an exceptionally lightweight scaffold system that uses interlocked aluminium planks to provide a secure working platform and to reduce manual handling injuries in setup and dismantling.

INTAKS can achieve very wide spans and be installed with no footprint, so ground space and lower

walls stay clear allowing multiple trades to work on site together with unrestricted access.

The groundbreaking design also offers permanent brackets in buildings for easy reinstallation – especially applicable to buildings such as schools, retirement villages and commercial premises where future maintenance plans are in place.

Proudly NZ designed and made Mr Cleveland acknowledges the amazing support, dedication and engineering innovation of New Zealand manufactures to Intaks success.

“After 13 years of intense development, we’re thrilled to have launched INTAKS to phenomenal

response and demand from the industry – and this award is just the icing on the cake”, Mr Cleveland says.

“With the new Health and Safety at Work Act coming into effect this year, we feel confident that INTAKS’ dynamic design is ready to meet the demands of what will be a significantly altered health and safety landscape”.

The fully certified and patented INTAKS system is now being used on commercial and residential sites around the country, delivering not only workplace health and safety benefits, but significant time and cost savings to building and roofing companies, subcontractors and building owners alike.

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ENVIRONMENT

Specialty hydraulics drive safer forestry machine A forestry harvester designed and built in Nelson is helping make the sector safer and more efficient ClimbMAX returns from a slope to the skid site

ClimbMAX underwent safety tests on-site Showcasing ClimbMAX’s rugged winch housing and heavy-duty feed rollers

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July/August – 2015

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he ClimbMAX Steep Slope Harvester is a huge step forward towards achieving the global goal of getting workers off dangerous slopes.

The only machine of its kind currently on the market, the ClimbMAX is the realisation of logging company owner Nigel Kelly’s vision to make his workers safer when harvesting on rough terrain.

He discussed his idea with Kerry Hill and the team at Trinder Engineering, who took the concept and transformed a traditional mechanical harvester into a winch-assisted machine with a lower centre of gravity for increased stability on steep slopes.

Fluid Power Solutions Director and Design Engineer Gary Allen de-

for drivers to manage the additional systems,” he maintains.

For example, they can easily select different operating modes by depressing buttons on one of the machine’s joystick handles to match the type of terrain they are working on. “In essence, the ClimbMAX can be driven like a standard harvester on level ground, so the operator can fully concentrate on the job, making him and his workmates safer,” Mr Allen adds. “We know we’ve built something that’s going to save lives – it doesn’t get much more rewarding than that.”

The heart of the machine is the complex winch assist system that is controlled via three smart programmable controllers, specifically designed for use with hydraulic

signed the hydraulics system on the ClimbMAX, which has a number of key elements that make it inherently safer – namely an ability to self-regulate and self-monitor.

The assisting winch and the safety blade are integral on the ClimbMAX, he explains. “Our self-regulating hydraulics system ensures the tracks and winch always work in unison, and the blade has a rapid deployment function that will stop and hold the machine if required,” Mr Allen says. “The operator only has to set a few system parameters and can then concentrate on felling and bunching trees.”

Fluid Power Solutions’ hydraulics system provides full flexibility of movement on slopes, enabling ClimbMAX to safely operate on steep slopes in various conditions, including snow or rain. It effectively hugs the terrain and can move considerable distances from side to side, as well as up and down, maximising the cut area per shift.

Mr Allen says as a designer one of the biggest challenges was to ensure the operators had the utmost confidence that they were safe on steep slopes. “We’ve met the challenge of operator confidence by designing various automatic safety features and by making it simple

components with high power consumption without the need for relays, amplifiers and other electrical equipment.

The controllers are uncomplicated and take up less of the valuable space, monitoring inputs from various parts of the machine and making adjustments to the hydraulic system to maintain maximum safety.

Fluid Power Solutions also designed a completely new pressurised hydraulic oil reservoir, which doubles as the machine’s counterweight, and a dry sump system for the engine that allows the hydraulic system and engine to function properly when on the steeper slopes.

Having been tested on slopes up to 65 degrees, the ClimbMAX is currently used by Kelly Logging in Nelson and JB Logging in Hawkes Bay, with interest growing around the country, as well as a forestry company in Canada.

Representatives from Chile, Canada, and three major logging companies in the US visited Nelson in 2014 to view the next generation harvesting machine, while March this year saw a second ClimbMAX Steep Slope Harvester shipped off to another logging company in Canada.

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July/August – 2015

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Comment >> Management

The importance of being assertive Why do so many behavioural assessments looking at safety include a measure on effective communication?

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ore specifically, why do they address the ability and willingness of people to communicate assertively with others? The reason is that organisations that enable and encourage people to communicate assertively have stronger safety cultures than others. If people can confidently state their views as in “I am not comfortable doing it that way, there is a safer way of doing it” then it is clear that less incidents may occur.

The need for assertiveness skills has also long been recognised in medicine. For nurses, the ability to deliver an appropriately assertive response to a potentially harmful

haviours that enable individuals to maintain respect for self and others, satisfy their needs and defend their rights in a manner that does not dominate, manipulate, abuse or

opinions conflict with others.

Sometimes it is fine to take a passive approach if the issue is unimportant, but what if it isn’t?

What if the faulty bolt on the crane puts the workers below at risk? In a passive approach the person is disrespecting themselves, their own views and possibly their own safety (think about the flight crews).

Many people are concerned that if they assert themselves others will think of their behaviour as aggressive, but there is a difference between being assertive and aggressive. Assertive people state their opinions while still being respectful of others, and aggressive people attack or ignore others’ opinions in favour of their own.

flight crew to effectively communicate with their captain. The first saw two Boeing 747s from Pan Am and KLM collide on take-off at Tenerife airport in 1979. Amongst the various causes for the crash was one that could have clearly led to a different outcome; on the Pan Am flight, the first officer’s inability to assertively tell the captain to abort the take-off ultimately led to the

situation is a critical, and potentially life-saving skill.

Although the magnitude of the incidents may vary, and not everyone is flying a plane or operating in a theatre, when a team member does not assert their concerns the results can be dire – near misses and accidents can occur.

Furthermore, in the aviation and medical industries there are evident

impose.

It is being able to stand up for yourself, making sure your opinions and feelings are considered and not letting people always get their way.

It requires a healthy sense of self and acknowledging that you deserve to get what you want and operate in a safe manner in a safe environment.

It means standing up for yourself – even in the most difficult situations.

Aggression is based on winning.

When you are aggressive you take what you want regardless, and you don’t usually ask. Assertive people are forthright about their wants and needs while still considering the rights, needs and wants of others.

Plus, contrary to popular belief, people can communicate their concerns and needs without permanently damaging important

death of 583 people.

A year earlier, after an aborted landing by UA flight 173 the flight crew focused on diagnosing the problem with the landing gear while the plane ran out of fuel.

The failure of the crew members

issues of hierarchy at play, but the ability to communicate assertively is important across industries and power structures.

In New Zealand it is often not the fear of asserting your views against the boss’s, but a dislike of being

People who don’t state their views or stand up for themselves are passive. It may be that they want to be liked and thought of as ‘nice’ or ‘easy to get along with’, so they often keep their opinions to themselves – especially if they are shy or those

working relationships if it is done well.

Why assertive communication is important in safety cultures The importance of assertiveness in safety is not new. Two aviation disasters in the late 1970s focused attention on the inability of the

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July/August – 2015

to successfully communicate their concerns over the diminishing fuel to the captain was a critical factor.As a result, training with particular emphasis on the merits of assertiveness training for cockpit crew members was recommended.

seen to be different, a “tall poppy”, “too big for your boots”, or “rocking the boat”.

What assertiveness is and is not Assertiveness is not rocking the boat! It is verbal and non-verbal be-

“Assertive people state their opinions while still being respectful of others, and aggressive people attack or ignore others’ opinions in favour of their own”

Positive push back Doing it well can be thought of as “positive pushback”. It is the ability to deliver an appropriately assertive

response to a potentially negative or harmful situation. A positive pushback is executed by looking someone straight in the eye, and saying with an even, non-stressed tone what is wanted or needed. If you want to be really assertive include the word “I,” such as “I really think we should stop and review our approach now. ...”

Assertiveness training Assertiveness training teaches people the difference between assertive, aggressive and passive communication. It helps people identify their own barriers to assertiveness and apply techniques to remove them.

By increasing awareness of the reasons why people avoid communicating assertively they can recognise and change them. Some people may have low self-esteem and believe they are not worthy of having their needs met. They are passive. Some people find it so difficult express their wants it comes rushing out in anger, or they are so self important they believe their

needs should be met regardless.

They are aggressive.

Training increases the awareness of these emotions and how to respond to them. It addresses the language of assertiveness, using strong “I” statements and appropriate non-threatening non-verbal language. This increases the ability to tailor your communication style to the preferred one of others.

Scripting statements and role-playing enable participants to practice the art of assertive communications.

The benefits Like most training, there are ancillary benefits beyond its targeted objective.For example, if employees are comfortable assertively communicating their needs, conflict in the workplace will be more quickly surfaced and resolved.

People will be able to state their needs confidently rather than passively or aggressively, or even less desirable, a combination of both.

Imagine a workplace where everyone could express their needs calmly and confidently, and people

Are you assertive?

I don’t know what do you think?

heard them. It would make not only for a safe place to work, but also a healthy one!

Moira Howson is a Senior Consultant at PeopleCentric, a team

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LIGHTING

Poor road lighting putting drivers at risk

Driving at night in New Zealand is almost three times more dangerous than other developed countries and poor road lighting is a significant factor an expert believes

LA Modern Tunnel before LED

LA Modern Tunnel after LED

Strategic Lighting Partners Ltd Managing Director Godfrey Bridger: “Research indicates white LED road lighting can provide better, safer driving vision than the yellow lighting emitted by the high-pressure sodium lights currently used in New Zealand”

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ew Zealand highways are lit to only three-quarters of the levels enjoyed in the UK, Europe and the US, notes Strategic Lighting Partners Ltd Managing Director Godfrey Bridger. “And our residential streets are lit to as little as a quarter of the lighting levels in other developed countries,” he adds.

“It should come as no surprise that the risk of death and injury from driving at night in New Zealand is 5.8 times the risk from driving during daylight hours, whereas amalgamated international statistics show night-time driving carries only twice the risk of day-time driving in other countries.”

He says three years ago New Zealand researchers Mike Jackett and Bill Frith of Opus Internation-

shows that with better road lighting New Zealand could reduce its nighttime road fatalities and injuries by more than 10 percent.

This in turn would save about 20 lives and about 500 other road users from injury each year, while substantially reducing the estimated $1.2 billion annual cost to the country of night-time road deaths and injuries.

“Transport and motor vehicle accidents are the main cause of teenage death worldwide, the third leading cause of loss of life in the US overall and the fifth leading cause of death in New Zealand overall,” Mr Bridger notes.

The social cost of road crashes in New Zealand was estimated in 2007 to be $3.8 billion and with 40 per-

opportunities that a digital lighting infrastructure and new smart city technologies offer local government in terms of new community friendly services and sources of revenue, a national road lighting upgrade is a no-brainer.”

Lighting lacking Road lighting is such a small proportion of the overall cost of building and maintaining the national road network that it tends to “fly under the radar” and suffers from little attention.

For example, the Ministry of Transport’s excellent road safety strategy “Safer Journeys” makes no mention of road lighting despite going into detail on other important issues such as driving age, road markings,

director Bryan King entitled Lighting the Way to Road Safety – A policy blindspot? that was developed from a longer, broader-based report for the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) entitled Strategic Road Lighting Opportunities for New Zealand.

“Our report was intended to alert transport authorities worldwide, but especially in New Zealand, to the need for greater focus on road lighting to save lives, save energy, improve security, reduce negative environmental impacts, and save money overall.”

He believes their work is finally starting to pay off after the consultancy ran two international conferences in Auckland over the past two years, featuring interna-

al Consultants discovered that for every 0.5 candela per square metre increase in lighting levels on the roading “midblock” between intersections the injury crash rate fell by 33 percent.

“Furthermore, findings from new international research indicate that white LED road lighting can provide better, safer driving vision than

cent of crashes occurring at night this suggests that night crashes cost NZ $1.2 billion.

“Factoring in savings from greater energy efficiency and reduced maintenance requirements, we estimate a $700 million New Zealand-wide upgrade to modern road lighting would return a benefit cost ratio substantially better than the

and alcohol.

Mr Bridger admits New Zealand hasn’t been alone in overlooking the benefits of upgrading its national road lighting network as road safety policymakers worldwide are overlooking the importance of road lighting to road safety.

“We could find no evidence of a systematic strategic asset manage-

tional experts on lighting, energy efficiency and road safety.

“NZTA recently introduced changes designed to encourage road controlling authorities in New Zealand to introduce modern LED road lighting, although the change was motivated more by efficiency considerations than safety.”

Leading international research-

the yellow lighting emitted by the high-pressure sodium lights currently used in New Zealand.”

Strategic Lighting Partners has been gathering international research on lighting and road safety for several years, and its evidence

2.5 benefit-cost ratio for our Roads of National Significance that are costing $9.7 billion,” Mr Bridger says.

There’s an enormous saving in human suffering and misery which isn’t captured in these statistics, he notes. “And when you consider the

ment approach which incorporates quantifiable safety performance to road lighting worldwide, apart from Canada and Washington State in the northwest US.” Three years ago Mr Bridger wrote a report on the issue with fellow SLP

er on road lighting and Director of the Centre for Infrastructure Based Safety Systems at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Dr Ron Gibbons says research on 23,000

July/August – 2015

Continued on page 30

LIGHTING LA River Bridge before LED

LA River Bridge after LED

Continued from page 28 road crashes in the US correlates the crash rate with road lighting intensity, confirming the research by Jackett and Frith in New Zealand.

Measurements at intersections show there is a clear statistical link between the level of light delivered and the crash rate – traffic safety increases with every increase in road lighting levels up to five lux, at which point the safety benefits taper off.

“We gather 90 percent of our information visually – we are not evolved for night driving,” Dr Gibbons insists.

“Minor arterial roads have among the most dangers of any road, including intersections, driveways and pedestrian traffic, and would most benefit from a higher level of lighting.”

Other international findings collated in the internationally-acclaimed Handbook of Road Safety Measures edited by Norwegian road safety expert Professor Rune Elvik demonstrate lighting provides the very highest safety improvement on rural roads, cutting fatal accidents by up to 87 percent and enjoying one of the highest benefit-to-cost ratios available in road safety measures.

Colour crucial The colour and quality of the light is also critical to road safety, with recent research by Dr Gibbons and Nancy Clanton of US-based consultants Clanton & Associates showing there is a clear correlation between visibility, stopping distance and light colour. White light of about 4,000 Kelvin – the colour of moonlight – provides the greatest visibility, indicating the possibility of

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an evolutionary factor at work.

By comparison the yellow light provided by high pressure sodium (HPS) provides poor visibility. Research results show that 146W LED white lights (4,000K) dimmed to 25 percent provide the same stopping distance on wet roads as full intensity 250W HPS yellow light provides on dry roads.

This supports findings by the late

digital control systems to dim or switch lighting off when it’s not needed, he believes.

“The controlled, directional nature of LED lighting also effectively reduces light spill and light pollution,” Mr Bridger adds, noting these are issues of particular concern for communities served by “minor” residential roads.

Nevertheless, there are other re-

“We estimate a $700 million New Zealand-wide upgrade to modern road lighting would return a benefitcost ratio substantially better than the 2.5 benefit cost ratio for our Roads of National Significance that are costing $9.7 billion” Dr Ian Lewin in the United States more than 12 years ago – before white LED lighting was available – that driver reaction time is slower under yellow HPS lighting than under old technology white lighting such as Mercury Vapour and Metal Halide lighting.

Mr Bridger says it was Dr Lewin’s research that inspired Melbourne to switch to white road lighting some years ago, starting a journey that has attracted residents back to the central city, bolstering its visitor numbers and night economy.

“White light not only improves traffic safety, but the improved visibility it affords has also dropped street crime rates in cities like Los Angeles.”

While there are concerns that white light can interfere with astronomy and may have an impact on biological circadian rhythms, these factors can be managed through

searchers who see danger in these presumptions about road lighting and road safety because it also means the relationship simply hasn’t been explored properly.

The Director of Enterprise Risk and Safety Management for the Washington State Department of Transportation in the United States, Dr John Milton, says much of our road lighting technology is now 40-years old and so is our understanding of lighting and “road crash potential”.

“Standards-based application of lighting design is slowing the evolution of lighting to optimise road safety, and in the interests of road safety that needs to change,” he maintains. “In Washington State we are shifting from standards-driven application to a performance-based decision-making process.”

Dr Milton says the challenge today

is to optimise spending on road safety techniques such as road lighting, and to apply its use where it will have the most benefit.

Washington State is using statistical analysis to target the application of digital LED lighting and control technologies at locations that have a higher than expected number of crashes, and consider the removal or reduction of lighting at locations on its 11,200-kilometre highway system that are unable to demonstrate sufficient benefit.

He says while well-designed road lighting can reduce road crashes, poorly-designed road lighting may increase accidents – for example by causing reflective glare that makes road markings invisible in wet weather conditions.

Location of lighting is also important. “Lighting is likely to be of greater benefit on roads where there are lots of intersections and road access points, such as driveways, and to be of less benefit on stretches of double-lane highways without intersections,” Dr Milton insists.

He says Washington State Department of Transportation has ramped up its research on road lighting in the past three to four years since the advent of new technology LED lighting and control systems.

“The energy, cost-efficiency, flexibility and greater visibility that LED affords make this a very beneficial technology,” says Dr Milton, “but we haven’t yet researched and developed the performance standards by which we can optimise the use of this new technology.”

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31

H E A LT H

Putting truckies on the road to better health

The dietary lessons learned by Australian truck drivers could easily be replicated in New Zealand, whose truck drivers face the same healthy eating challenges

QUT Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation health promotion expert Dr Marguerite Sendall: “The long hours and sedentary work life of truckies has the potential to be deadly when it comes to their health”

An Australian programme which saw a 15 percent drop in drivers self-reporting their body mass index as obese holds valuable lessons for local truck drivers

T

he Queensland University of Technology (QUT) workplace intervention programme helped truckies eat healthier, exercise more and lose weight.

Health promotion expert Dr Marguerite Sendall from QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation says the nature of their job means truck drivers are at a higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

“The long hours and sedentary work life of truckies has the potential to be deadly when it comes to their health,” Dr Sendall warns.

Funded by the Queensland Government’s Healthier. Happier.

Workplaces initiative, QUT developed the Queensland Transport Industry Workplace Health Inter-

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July/August – 2015

vention project to investigate the effectiveness of workplace-based nutrition and physical activity health promotion programs for truck drivers in south-east Queensland.

Dr Sendall says workplaces were recognised as places which could contribute to good health, but truck drivers’ workplaces were their vehicle and this mobile environment limited the effectiveness of traditional health-promotion strategies.

QUT overcame this challenge by working with transport industry workplaces to develop health-promotion interventions suited to a mobile workforce. “These interventions included offering healthy options in vending machines at work, supplying free fruit to drivers and instigating the 10,000 steps

workplace challenge,” Dr Sendall explains.

The two-year project involved five transport industry workplaces employing between 20 and 200 truck drivers across the south-east Queensland region. “Each workplace implemented up to four or five interventions,” she adds.

There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to improving nutrition and physical activity in transport industry workplaces, Dr Sendall believes.

“What workplaces need to be doing is responding proactively to the barriers in each individual workplace,” she advises. “For example, providing microwaves and small fridges, especially for line haul drivers.”

A study of the effectiveness of the programme has shown overall that

managers and truck drivers were satisfied with the interventions developed and implemented during the project.

There were also positive health outcomes for drivers, Dr Sendall adds. “For example, there was an 18 percent increase from 20 percent pre-intervention to 38 percent post-intervention in the number of drivers who reported making lifestyle changes to improve their health.”

There was also an increase in the number of drivers self-reporting their health as ‘good’ and ‘excellent’.

“Truckies were also better informed of the Australian nutrition guideline recommendations for fruit and vegetables, and were also increasing their daily intake of fruit and vegetables.”

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33

ENVIRONMENT

Clean air vital indoors

Indoor air quality is a great topic of discussion - and for good reason says environmental and occupational hygiene specialist Carol McSweeney

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he air quality of the indoor environment can affect our health, comfort and productivity whether we work in a training institution, a hospital, an office or in manufacturing.

However, most of us barely notice when indoor air quality (IAQ) is “good” but we’ll often recognise when the air is not good. Indoor air quality is a problem when the air contains dust and objectionable odours, chemical contaminants, dampness or mould.

These contaminants may be produced from inside the building or may be coming from the outside environment. The physical characteristics of the air are also important, such as the amount of air movement, its temperature and its humidity.

A few basics for achieving good air quality include: • good ventilation in accordance with the current guidelines, New Zealand Standard NZS4303:1990, which is based on the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality • comfort factors such as tempera-

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July/August – 2015

ture, humidity and air movement in a range that is acceptable to most occupants, such as those published in ASHRAE Standard 55, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy • keeping air conditioning equipment and the building clean • separating significant emission sources such as large copy machines from occupied spaces and air intakes • promptly identifying and controlling major sources of chemical

comfort-related complaints involve humidity and air that is too dry or too muggy.

Some health-related complaints associated with poor air appear similar to those of the flu or a cold – headaches, sinus problems, congestion, dizziness, nausea, fatigue and irritation of the eyes, nose or throat – and are often difficult to associate with the workplace.

The indoor environment is usually not the suspected cause of occupant symptoms unless the

“Indoor air quality is a problem when the air contains dust and objectionable odours, chemical contaminants, dampness or mould” or biological contamination • r egularly cleaning occupied areas and ensuring good housekeeping practices are in place • performing operations, maintenance, and construction activities in a manner that minimises exposure to airborne contaminants.

One of the most common complaints relates to temperature – the air is too hot or too cold. Air movement, or lack of it, is another common concern. Other common

symptoms are shared by a number of occupants, found to be unreasonably persistent or there is a distinct and suspect odour or other unusual quality to the air.

Some health-related complaints may be due to allergic reactions.

Typical indoor allergens include dust mites, animal dander, and mould spores. When exposed to such allergens, 10 percent or more of the population may exhibit symptoms including sneezing, swollen

airways or asthma-like effects.

Potential sources of contaminants in office buildings include: • dust, bacteria, fungi and pollen, inadequate design or maintenance of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems • cleaning chemicals, which may contain irritant vapour and or volatile organic compounds • pesticides • building materials • office equipment such as copy machines and printers, furnishings, people odours (respiration and perspiration) and fragrances/ cosmetics and smoke.

All of these are present in all buildings to some degree but it is when they are present in higher concentrations that problems can occur. Activities such as blocking air ventilation grills, overusing office chemical products and improperly storing food can also add to the problem.

Dusty surfaces, stagnant water, and damp materials provide a good environment for microbial growth.

When odorous compounds resulting from microbial growth and other microbial particles become airborne, some people may experience unpleasant odours and symptoms including allergic reactions.

Ventilation valuable Poor IAQ may develop when not enough fresh air is introduced to reduce contaminant concentrations – the air conditioning system must not only control contaminants it must also provide a comfortable environment. The perception of still or stale air, odours, draftiness or uneven temperature and humidity levels leads to discomfort.

Discomfort, however subtle, can be the beginning of IAQ complaints.

Many IAQ complaints originate with the air conditioning system failing to meet occupants’ comfort needs, either by not adequately controlling temperature and humidity levels or by not delivering outside air evenly to occupants.

Some studies have shown that communicable diseases like the common cold, influenza and tuberculosis spread more efficiently in poorly ventilated buildings. How-

ever, most of these kinds of illness are passed from person to person through the air or from contacting viruses or bacteria on surfaces, and thus are largely beyond the control of the building owners. If there are windows, open them in appropriate weather.

Occupant concerns should be taken seriously and responded to quickly. It is important to gather and verify information in some form. Interviews are a useful first step and can be used to determine any patterns in the complaints.

A thorough inspection of the area of concern is helpful to try and identify any likely sources (from either inside or outside the building), issues with the air conditioning system or other changes that may have occurred.

It is important to communicate to occupants in a timely manner about what is being done to resolve the IAQ issue and any findings from the investigation.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) testing is often performed during the early stages of an IAQ investigation because people exhale CO2 and if there is not enough outdoor (“fresh”) air in a space, the indoor levels of CO2 will increase.

Elevated CO2 concentrations in a building reflect insufficient exchange of “fresh” outdoor air for “spent” interior air, allowing the accumulation of human-source odours, and possibly other contaminants.

ASHRAE recommends that the indoor levels of CO2 should be controlled to reduce complaints of human-source body odours. When sufficient outdoor air is supplied in keeping with the ASHRAE recommended ventilation levels, the ventilation is generally considered to be adequate.

If it is not possible to directly measure the rate of outdoor air supply, an occupational hygienist can measure the indoor and outdoor levels of CO2 and estimate the adequacy of the ventilation. Note that the occupancy of an area affects the measured CO2 concentration and it should be taken into consideration when interpreting results.

However, this approach does not

work in all cases. If a particularly irritating or toxic contaminant is present, the problem can only be resolved through control of the contaminant at its source.

Testing for other contaminants (e.g., particulates, volatile organic compounds, microbes, formaldehyde, and pesticides) may provide valuable information but is recommended only if there is good reason to believe that a contaminant is present (a source has been identified or medical evaluation suggests a problem). Air testing for a broad spectrum of potential contaminants is generally unproductive.

Some contaminants of IAQ concern have published guideline levels that are considered appropriate for indoor air but most do not. Typical concentration levels of contaminants found in office workplaces are far below regulated workplace exposure limits as published by WorkSafe NZ. Usually the greatest value of air testing is in the comparison of the results from different locations within a building, indoors versus outdoors and at different times throughout the day. The data generated may yield information about the origin of the problem and possible solutions.

Controlling contaminants The best method to control indoor air contaminants depends on the source or sources causing the complaints. Source removal or control is generally the most cost-effective solution to the problem.

For example, environmental tobacco smoke-related complaints have been eliminated by prohibiting smoking within buildings and by isolating designated smoking areas.

Modification of the ventilation system may also be an effective method of resolving IAQ complaints.

Contaminants can be diluted with outdoor air, or managed by changing air pressure relationships between adjoining areas.

Increasing the outdoor air supply to meet the criteria of ASHRAE 62.1 may require design and installation of additional heating, cooling, or dehumidification to prevent comfort

Testing materials for indoor pollutants is a first step to identifying lowemission products or moisture-related problems.

However, a well- designed and maintained ventilation system may be able to improve the work environment enough to pay for itself through improved occupant productivity.

Air cleaning may also be used to control indoor air contaminants, particularly when the contaminant source is outside the building.

Typically, air cleaning is accomplished by installing higher efficiency air filters in existing ventilation systems (if compatible with the system).

During renovation activities avoid running combustion appliances such as propane heaters or fuel-fired generators indoors - carbon monoxide exposure can be fatal.

If the problem persists even after you have identified and rectified obvious sources, you may want to seek outside assistance. Professional help in New Zealand may be found through such groups as the New Zealand Occupational Hygiene Society or ventilation engineers. In some cases, assistance from specialists in medicine, lighting, acoustic design, or psychology may be needed.

Ultimately, indoor air quality concerns are a fact of life for building

owners, business owners, managers, and workers. It may not be possible to satisfy every occupant at all times, particularly in the case of thermal comfort.

However, it is possible and necessary to provide a work environment that is healthy and safe. Establish clear lines of communication so that IAQ issues can be detected and resolved as soon as possible.

A building managed with an eye for preventing IAQ problems greatly reduces the likelihood of chronic discomfort and will likely increase building occupants’ productivity.

Carol McSweeney is Director of Air Matters, a leading provider of environmental and occupational hygiene services throughout New Zealand

www.isn.co.nz

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COMMENT >> Chemical Safety by Barry Dyer

We still don’t know what we don’t know Three days conversing with visitors during the recent, well-attended ISN Health and Safety Show confirmed too many health and safety practitioners in businesses of all sizes are not yet fully conversant with their chemical safety responsibilities

A

capacity audience for a WorkSafe presentation on upcoming workplace health and safety (H&S) legislation confirmed business operators are eager to identify and prepare for likely additional workplace safety responsibilities arising from the new Health and Safety at Work legislation.

Regrettably, the educational workshops throughout the three-day exhibition did not fully exploit opportunities to not only inform participants of their workplace H&S compliance obligations, but also offer much-needed practical chemical management advice.

Conversations with visitors quickly focused on ‘not knowing what to do and how to do it’, a familiar theme for people wanting to do the right thing but lacking the knowledge or knowing where to easily find the guidance and compliance tools they need. Businesses lacking the necessary compliance expertise need help, preferably in the form of ‘here is what you have to do and this is how you have to do it’.

While the new workplace safety legislation evolves, there remains much to be done in improving compliance with our existing chemical safety performance, which will continue to be a major influence in reducing our unacceptable workplace casualty rate.

The success of six recent regional, free, Accident Compensation Commission/Responsible Care NZ chemical safety workshops confirms the need for free pragmatic compliance advice, perhaps at the expense of government agency support for expensive commercial forums.

Employers are apprehensive about the new legislation and the challenges arising from significant additional responsibilities. Given the

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July/August – 2015

major HSNO compliance requirements are likely to remain this issue continues to receive priority from responsible chemical suppliers.

There is scepticism politics will dilute the largely pragmatic recommendations and performance goals identified by the Health and

“Businesses lacking the necessary compliance expertise need help, preferably in the form of ‘here is what you have to do and this is how you have to do it’” Safety task force and subsequently highlighted in many of the submissions to the select committee. For example, the sensible suggestion to include basic risk assessment in the final year curriculum for school leavers has disappeared without trace.

Lobbying for the removal of the mandatory Approved Handler requirement is in reality a justifiable protest against the variable quality of the qualification and the ‘cost’ of upskilling employees. Both disappointing aspects, given government aspirations for a ‘highly skilled workforce’.

No knowledge Responsible Care NZ assessors routinely find Approved Handlers who lack the basic chemical knowledge to be considered competent – a consequence of government failing to implement the necessary infrastructure, comprising

comprehensive unit standards, delivered by certified training providers, addressing the clients’ products and activities – and compounded by flawed legislation which allows online re-certification without a practical assessment of competency. As every conscientious business operator appreciates, competent staff are an investment.

For those concerned about the increased HSNO enforcement activity focusing on compliant safety data sheets (SDS) and product labels, obtain a New Zealand-compliant version from your chemical supplier. Maintain your Approved Handler capability while the threat to this sensible qualification is debated.

Almost 230 HSNO Group Standards require chemical suppliers to provide a New Zealand compliant SDS. Responsible Care NZ is seeking the mandating of the manufacturers’ original SDS in the new health and Safety at Work (H&SW) legislation.

Most chemical workers will never see an SDS, relying instead on pictograms on packaging and, most importantly, their chemical safety training. The Approved Handler qualification is an effective strategy for ensuring chemical workers are competent to safely carry out their tasks and provide colleagues with relevant occupational health and safety advice.

Adding new obligations to the present sub-standard HSNO compliance record does not inspire confidence that the business community, struggling to demonstrate the present obligations of a good employer, will readily achieve the new workplace health and safety aspirations.

In preparation for the ‘new dawn’ in workplace health and safety, renewed attention to improving compliance with long-standing workplace chemical safety requirements will help ensure a solid foundation for whatever improvements lie ahead.

Nearly 2,000 safety-conscious show visitors took the opportunity to inspect an impressive range of personal protective equipment, software and products designed to safeguard workers in safe and healthy workplaces.

They understand the need to positively influence health and safety performance throughout their businesses. If you are one of them, the new workplace health and safety regime will enjoy a great start - and we will all be beneficiaries.

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�����ate s���e�s �����ate s���e�s �����ate s���e�s ���e�e��e�t e��i����e�ta� ���it��i�� ���e�e��e�t e��i����e�ta� ���it��i�� ���e�e��e�t e��i����e�ta� ���it��i�� ���e�e��e�t ��a� ��ea�a��es ���� a a�e���e� as�est�s assess�� �e���e the ���e�e��e�t ��a� ��ea�a��es as�est�s assess�� �e���e the ���e�e��e�t ��a� ��ea�a��es �� a�e���e� �e���e� as�est�s assess�� �e���e the site �a� �e�e �e-�����ie� ���� ���� sta� a�� s���ies� site �a� �e-�����ie� ���� sta� a�� s���ies� site �a� �e �e-�����ie� �� ���� sta� a�� s���ies�

O�� S������ O�� S������ O�� S������ CEDA �eets a��a�� the �e��i�e�e�ts set ��t i�i������a�e�s ������� �������� ��� ���� ��������� CEDA �eets the �e��i�e�e�ts set ��t ������� �������� ��� ���� ��������� CEDA �eets a�� the �e��i�e�e�ts set ��t i������a�e�s �����a�e�s ������� �������� ��� ���� ��������� �������� � ����� ����� ��� a a�e���e� as�est�s assess��.

CEDA isisa��e t�t�t� he�� ��� �eet a��a�� �������� � ������ ����� ��� as�est�s assess��.

CEDA he�� ��� �eet �������� ����� ����� ��� a�e���e� �e���e� as�est�s assess��.

CEDA isa��e a��e he�� ��� �eet a�� ���� �e�a� �e��i�e�e�ts a�� �e ha�e e�te�si�e e��e�ie��e i�i��a�a�i�� as�est�s ��� ��ie�ts ���� �e�a� �e��i�e�e�ts a�� �e ha�e e�te�si�e e��e�ie��e as�est�s ��� ��ie�ts ���� �e�a� �e��i�e�e�ts a�� �e ha�e e�te�si�e e��e�ie��e i��a�a�i�� �a�a�i�� as�est�s ��� ��ie�ts ���� the ��st ��a��a��� e��ie�t a�� ��e�a���a��� a��a�ta�e��s �a� t�t�t� �a�a�e as�est�s� the ��st ��a��a��� e��ie�t a�� ��e�a���a��� a��a�ta�e��s �a� �a�a�e as�est�s� �� the ��st ��a��a��� e��ie�t a�� ��e�a���a��� a��a�ta�e��s �a� �a�a�e as�est�s� �ith��t �������isi�� sa�et� iss�es� �ith��t �������isi�� sa�et� iss�es� �ith��t �������isi�� sa�et� iss�es� SURVEYING SURVEYING SURVEYING �e �a� ���� as�est�s s���e� ���� a�� si�e ����e�ts� �e �a� as�est�s s���e� a�� si�e ����e�ts� �e �a� �� as�est�s s���e� �� a�� si�e ����e�ts� SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS CEDA �a��ies ��t as�est�s sa���i��� ���� sa���i�� a�� a�a��sis ������ ��te��a��� CEDA �a��ies ��t as�est�s sa���i��� ���� sa���i�� a�� a�a��sis ��te��a��� CEDA �a��ies ��t as�est�s sa���i��� ���� sa���i�� a�� a�a��sis ��te��a��� as�est�s-���tai�i�� �ate�ia�s� ��� �a��a� �e���a���s ���� �a� ����i�e a�a� as�est�s as�est�s-���tai�i�� �ate�ia�s� ��� �a��a� �e���a���s ���� �a� ����i�e as�est�s as�est�s-���tai�i�� �ate�ia�s� ��� �a��a� �e���a���s ���� �a� ����i�e a� as�est�s �e�iste� ��� the �h��e �����e� i�����i�� �e� ����s� �e�iste� ��� the �h��e �����e� i�����i�� �e� ����s� �e�iste� ��� the �h��e �����e� i�����i�� �e� ����s� ASBESTOS COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT ASBESTOS COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT ASBESTOS COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT �a�a�i�� as�est�s isisst�ai�ht����a�� a�� e��e�ti�e �ith ����� �e �a� a��ise ��� a�� �a�a�i�� as�est�s a�� e��e�ti�e �ith ����� �e �a� a��ise ��� a�� �a�a�i�� as�est�s isst�ai�ht����a�� st�ai�ht����a�� a�� e��e�ti�e �ith ����� �e �a� a��ise ��� a�� assist �ith ���� �s�est�s �����ia��e �a�a�e�e�t ��a� ������� �e a��ise a�� assist assist �ith ���� �s�est�s �����ia��e �a�a�e�e�t ��a� ������� �e a��ise a�� assist assist �ith ���� �s�est�s �����ia��e �a�a�e�e�t ��a� ������� �e a��ise a�� assist ��ie�ts t�t�t� �e�e��� a�� i���e�e�t thei� as�est�s �a�a�e�e�t ��a�s� �a�i�� s��e the� ��ie�ts �e�e��� a�� i���e�e�t thei� as�est�s �a�a�e�e�t ��a�s� �a�i�� s��e the� ��ie�ts �e�e��� a�� i���e�e�t thei� as�est�s �a�a�e�e�t ��a�s� �a�i�� s��e the� a�hie�e �����ia��e �ith as�est�s sta��a��s a�� �e�is�ati��� �e ����i�e ���ti��e� s�����t a�hie�e �����ia��e �ith as�est�s sta��a��s a�� �e�is�ati��� �e ����i�e ���ti��e� s�����t a�hie�e �����ia��e �ith as�est�s sta��a��s a�� �e�is�ati��� �e ����i�e ���ti��e� s�����t th����h a���a� �e-i�s�e�ti�� s���e�s a�� ���� �e�ie�s� th����h a���a� �e-i�s�e�ti�� s���e�s a�� ���� �e�ie�s� th����h a���a� �e-i�s�e�ti�� s���e�s a�� ���� �e�ie�s�

P��������� N������ P��������� N������ P��������� N������ T���� ��� ���� � ������ �������� ���� ���������� ������ ������ ���� ��� ����� ������ ��������� T���� ��� ���� �������� �������� ������ ������ ��� ����� ������ ��������� T���� ��� ���� ������ �������� ������������ ���������� ������ ������ �� ��� ����� ������ ��������� CEDA ��� ������ ������� ���� ����� ���������� ������ ������ CEDA ���� ������� ��� �������� CEDA ��� ������ ������� ���������� ������ ������ CEDA ���� ������� ��� �������� CEDA ��� ������ ������� ������� ����� ���������� ������ ������ CEDA ���� ������� ��� �������� ����� �������������� ������� ������ ����������� ����������� ��� ������� ���� ���� ������ ���� �� ���� ����� �������������� ������� ����������� ����������� ��� ������� ���� ���� ����� �������������� ������� ��� ����������� ����������� ��� ������� ���� �������� ������ ���� ���� ���� ��� ������� �������� ���� ������� ������ ��� �������� ��������� ������� ��� ��� ���� ������� �������� ���� ������� �������� ��������� ������� ��� ��� ���� ����� ��� ������� �������� ���� ������� ������ ��� �������� ��������� ������� ��� ��� ������������� ���������� ���� �� �� ������ ���� ��� ���� ��� ���� ������ ������ ������������� ���������� ���� ���� ��� ���� ������ ������ ������������� ���������� ���� �������� ������ ����� ��� ���� ��� ���� ������ ������

EĂƟŽŶǁŝĚĞ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ dƌƵƐƚĞĚ ďLJ ƐŽŵĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ůĂƌŐĞƐƚ ĐŽŵƉĂŶŝĞƐ ŝŶ E

&Žƌ Ăůů LJŽƵƌ ƐďĞƐƚŽƐ ƋƵĞƐƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ĂĚǀŝĐĞ ĐĂůů ƵƐ ŶŽǁ ŽŶ &ƌĞĞ ƉŚŽŶĞ ϬϴϬϬ ϮϯϯϮϱϴ ƵĐŬůĂŶĚ ͗ Ϭϵ ϰϭϬ ϬϵϮϳ tĞůůŝŶŐƚŽŶ͗ Ϭϰ ϱϱϱ ϬϬϱϱ ŚƌŝƐƚĐŚƵƌĐŚ͗ Ϭϯ ϲϲϮ ϵϵϴϬ ŵĂŝů͗ ĂĚŵŝŶΛĐĞĚĂŶnj͘ĐŽŵ tĞďƐŝƚĞ ͗ ǁǁǁ͘ĐĞĚĂŶnj͘ĐŽŵ ŶƚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽŵƉĞƟƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ǁŝŶ Ă &ŝƐŚŝŶŐ dƌŝƉ ƚŽ ŽƌŽŵĂŶĚĞů ŶƚƌLJ ĨŽƌŵ ǁŝůů ďĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ Ăƚ ŽƵƌ ƐƚĂůů ͘ ;ƐƚĂůů ŶƵŵďĞƌ ϭϯϮͿ

DĂŬŝŶŐ EĞǁ ĞĂůĂŶĚ Ă ^ĂĨĞƌ WůĂĐĞ ƚŽ >ŝǀĞ͕ tŽƌŬ ĂŶĚ >ĞĂƌŶ

FOCUS >> Health & Safety Reform Bill

A risk worth taking?

The current Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 (‘HSE Act’) has shown that duty holders often struggle to determine what steps to take to meet their health and safety obligations

T

hey’re also often not sure if they have done enough to meet their obligations. Often, this results in duty holders putting workers at risk by not doing enough, but it may also result in an over-cautious approach that increases the cost and burden of compliance unnecessarily.

Helpfully, the proposed new legislation will be accompanied by more detailed supporting regulations, codes of practice and guidance.

Unlike the current set of regulations under the HSE Act, which are inconsistent, difficult to understand and piecemeal in their coverage, the proposed regulations should provide duty holders with better clarity and certainty on what practical steps they should take to create a safe and compliant workplace.

It is anticipated that 15 sets of regulations will be developed. Of these, three will be adapted from existing regulations under the HSE Act, 10 will be adapted from the Australian Model Law, and two will be developed anew (including regulations for geothermal operations).

Seven of these are currently available to the public in draft form for consultation.

38

July/August – 2015

General Risk and Workplace Management Regulations The key proposed regulation, relevant to all duty holders, will be the Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations (‘General Risk Regulations’). These regulations will prescribe a risk management process that duty holders may apply in order to meet their primary duty of care.

While the main focus of the General Risk Regulations will be on providing and maintaining safe working environments with safe systems of work, they also set out the minimum standards for workplaces in respect of: • providing information, training, instruction and supervision to workers, to ensure they know how to work safely • the provision of general workplace facilities such as toilets, eating and rest areas, seating and lighting • providing first aid facilities • emergency planning • the provision and use of personal protective equipment • managing the particular risks of remote or isolated work, hazardous atmospheres, falling objects,

hazardous containers, loose but enclosed materials, and limited attendance child care centres • the duties owed to young workers • monitoring of workplace conditions.

Though many of these minimum standards are provided for under the current regulations, the General Risk Regulations will set out a consolidated and common sense approach to determining what the minimum standard will be for the particular workplace.

merely isolate a hazard.

The key qualifier under the new health and safety regime, and therefore risk management, will be ‘reasonably practicable’, which replaces the current HSE Act test of ‘all practicable steps’. ‘Reasonably practicable’ was preferred by the government because it gives a better sense of what is expected of duty holders, by incorporating the concept of reasonableness based on a risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis.

Risk management under the General Risk Regulations The hierarchy of control measures set out in regulations 5 to 8 of the General Risk Regulations illustrate the wider change between the current and proposed new health and safety regimes.

Risk management will change from being focused on hazards to being focused on risks – that is, the duty holder may no longer focus on merely identifying hazards but must take a wider approach and identify all of the risks that the hazard poses and the steps that can be taken to eliminate or minimise these risks.

In addition, the new Act does not allow for control measures that

Identification of risks This requirement to identify hazards and the risks these may give rise to is the first step for duty holders, under regulation 5.

It is likely the Australian model guidance will also be followed in New Zealand (in line with the common sense approach of the new legislation), which provides a risk assessment is not necessary if: • legislation requires some hazards or risks to be controlled in a specific way • an applicable code of practice or other guidance details how to control a hazard or risk and the duty holder chooses to follow this code or guidance or

• w ell-known and effective controls are in use in the particular industry, and are applicable to the situation.

In this way, the new Act would require a risk management process to be completed in its entirety by the duty holder only in situations or for activities where the additional compliance cost has been determined to be outweighed by the benefits.

If one of these three situations applies, the controls could simply be implemented and the risk assessment omitted.

Otherwise, the new Act and the General Risk Regulations will require a duty holder to consider the likelihood, as well as the extent of the risk that the hazard poses. If harm is more likely to occur, then it will be reasonable to expect more to be done to eliminate or minimise the risk.

The greater the degree of harm that could result from the hazard or risk, the more significant this factor will be when weighing up all matters to be taken into account and identifying what is reasonably required (i.e. what is reasonably practicable) in the circumstances. This means that if there is a risk of death or serious injury, then the duty holder will be expected to eliminate the risk (rather than minimise it).

The risk associated with the hazard will differ in the different localities/ workplaces in which they arise.

Eliminating or minimising risks?

The next step, under regulation 6, is for duty holders to take risk-control measures to minimise risks to health and safety. Importantly,

these control measures should not be taken if it is reasonably practicable to eliminate the hazard.

If it is reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk, this is the sole step that duty holders will be allowed to take and minimising the risk will not be sufficient to comply with their duties. This requirement will be mirrored in section 22 of the new Act. For example, identifying a slipping hazard will no longer be sufficient.

follows: • substituting (either wholly or in part) the hazard with an alternative giving rise to a lesser risk • isolating the hazard from the worker exposed to it (e.g. guarding of the machinery) • preventing contact with the hazard (e.g. presence-sensing devices) • implementing engineering control measures (e.g. two-handed controls and emergency stops).

“The proposed regulations should provide duty holders with better clarity and certainty on what practical steps they should take to create a safe and compliant workplace” Duty holders must not only identify the slipping hazard but also consider the risks associated with the hazard and how these can be addressed.

Rather than cordoning off the slipping area, or alerting workers to take care around the area, the focus is on eliminating the risk, such as changing the flooring material to be non-slip. If an accident occurs and minimisation measures have been taken instead of elimination when the latter is reasonably practicable, duty holders will be considered to have failed in their duties.

Hierarchy of control measures If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate, regulation 6 of the General Risk Regulations sets out a hierarchy of control measures to minimise the risk, summarised as

If the preceding risk control measures do not sufficiently reduce the risk, duty holders must then minimise the remaining risk by: • implementing administrative controls (e.g. signage to warn of hazard) • providing and ensuring the use of suitable personal protective equipment.

Maintain and review control measures Finally, under regulations 7 and 8, duty holders will be required to ensure the control measure implemented is effective and maintained. The duty holder must regularly review and revise control measures, particularly when monitoring demonstrates the measure is ineffective, or if a notifiable incident occurs. Review must also occur if

there is a change in the workplace, engagement with workers indicating a review is necessary, or a review is requested by a health and safety representative.

Relevance of cost Costs are only to be considered after taking into account the extent of the risk and the available ways of eliminating or minimising the risk.

These factors assess what can be done and would ordinarily be expected to be done, if cost was not a consideration.

Only if the cost is ‘grossly disproportionate’ to the risk, taking into account the possible harm, and the extent to which it will be reduced, will the control measure possibly not be reasonably practicable to implement. For example, where there is a low likelihood of minor injury and the cost of risk control is high, this cost will not reasonably be incurred.

The verdict The risk management process set out in the General Risk Regulations should make it easier for businesses and workers to understand and comply with health and safety duties. But the clear emphasis is to eliminate risks and hazards, not minimise them, so duty holders will have to show that if they do not implement a control measure that eliminates a risk, the cost of this was grossly disproportionate to the harm that might be caused.

Therefore, where significant harm or death could result from the risk, in our view it will be very difficult to justify not eliminating the risk.

We had expected to comment on the Select Committee report on the Health and Safety Reform Bill but this has been delayed until 24 July 2015. This delay is disappointing, and we hope it does not result in any significant watering down of the current Bill.

This article was written by Sherridan Cook (partner) and Lucy Carruthers (solicitor) at Buddle Findlay, one of New Zealand’s leading commercial law and public law firms with offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Sherridan and Lucy specialise in health and safety, and employment law.

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FOCUS >> Health & Safety Reform Bill

Hazardous substances regulations – what’s coming?

The workplace health and safety regulator is busy gearing up to implement the new changes and safety procedures for hazardous substances heralded in the Health and Safety Reform Bill

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he Health and Safety Reform Bill’s changes to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 include transferring the regulation of hazardous substances in the workplace from the EPA to WorkSafe NZ. “WorkSafe NZ has already received a number of functions under a transitional arrangement from EPA, including the management of the test certifier regime and completion of HSNO codes of practices,” says WorkSafe NZ General Manager, High Hazards & Specialist Services Brett Murray. “WorkSafe’s Certification, Approvals and Registrations Team is responsible for these activities.”

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is currently drafting phase 1 regulations for hazardous substances following consultation on the proposals in MBIE’s Developing Regulations to support the new Health and Safety at Work Act discussion document.

The ministry is analysing 182 submissions on all regulation proposals, with the vast majority including specific comment on the proposed hazardous substance regulations.

“WorkSafe and MBIE are working with key stakeholders and a Hazardous Substances Guidance Group made up of social partners and key industry representatives has been convened to help inform the regulations and guidance development,” Mr Murray explains.

The Health and Safety Reform Bill amends the HSNO Act so that requirements for the safe use, handling, manufacture, and storage of workplace hazardous substances will now come under the new Health and Safety at Work Act rather than the HSNO Act. “As a consequence, the majority of duty holders will only need to look to one regulatory regime to know how to manage the full range of hazards present in their workplace.”

WorkSafe is currently working with MBIE to develop a new set of

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regulations for the management of hazardous substances in the workplace. “This set of regulations will consolidate and simplify the current requirements from 15 sets of HSNO regulations and approximately 9,000 HSNO approvals,” Mr Murray notes. “The regulations will also incorporate a small number of changes to codify existing good practice.”

However, Mr Murray believes that a “more substantive review” of these requirements will need to be carried out within two years of the new regulations coming into force to ensure they are fit for purpose and to sim-

required to be included on the inventory • require PCBUs to manage risks to health and safety associated with the use, handling, manufacture, or storage of hazardous substances in accordance with the risk management process to be prescribed in the general risk and workplace management regulations • prescribe considerations for managing risks to health and safety associated with hazardous substances that must be taken into account by a PCBU when carrying out a risk assessment

“WorkSafe and MBIE are working with key stakeholders and a Hazardous Substances Guidance Group made up of social partners and key industry representatives has been convened to help inform the regulations and guidance development” plify them as much as possible.

Analysis of the submissions suggests that the new regulations should: • require Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs) to prepare and maintain an inventory of all hazardous substances used, handled, manufactured, or stored at the workplace • prescribe the matters to be included in the inventory of hazardous substances • require PCBUs to ensure that the inventory is readily accessible to any emergency service worker attending the workplace • prescribe alternative requirements that apply to a workplace that is a transit depot • specify that any hazardous substance that is a consumer product and is used at the workplace only in quantities and in a way consistent with household use is not

• p

rescribe circumstances that would trigger a review of any control measures implemented to control risks in relation to a hazardous substance at the workplace • specify that the risk assessment provisions not apply if: • the PCBU is a retailer and the hazardous substance is a consumer product and intended for supply to other premises • or the hazardous substance is a consumer product and will be used at the workplace only in quantities and in a way that is consistent with household use • prescribe a minimum set of matters to be included in any information, supervision, instruction, and training provided to workers that use, handle, manufacture, or store hazardous substances • and revoke the current require-

ment to ensure that one or more workers are trained and certified as an approved handler as it would duplicate the proposed training requirements.

Solid support There was clear support for the introduction of the proposed requirements for information, supervision, instruction, and training, Mr Murray notes. “There were mixed views on the proposal to revoke approved handler certification and this is something we will continue to work through before providing our final recommendation to ministers.”

Analysis of the submissions suggests that any information, instruction, supervision, and training should take into account the nature of risks associated with the work, while any information provided to workers handling hazardous substances should include: • any operations in an area of work where hazardous substances are present • the location and availability of safety data sheets • and the sections of the safety data sheets that provide information about the hazards, emergency measures, and storage and handling.

Any training should be based on relevant industry standards recognised by WorkSafe and include: • the physico-chemical and health hazards associated with the hazardous substances the worker uses • the procedures for the safe use, handling, manufacture, or storage of the hazardous substances • the plant (including PPE) necessary to manage the hazardous substances • and the actions that the worker should take in an emergency involving the hazardous substances.

“If approved handler certification is revoked it should be retained

for explosives, vertebrate toxic by the New Zealand Fire Service agents, and fumigants that require (NZFS) a controlled substance licence,” • limit the scope of any review by

“Similarly, simplified requirements should also be prescribed for the workplace labelling of hazardous

• t he hazardous substance is a consumer product intended for supply to other premises, and not

Mr Murray believes. “Test certifiers should then be required to check the training record of workers handling hazardous substances as part of the process to issue or renew a location test certificate.”

This would assist in confirming compliance with the proposed training requirements. “It would also provide a greater level of coverage than compliance monitoring by WorkSafe alone,” Mr Murray adds.

Analysis of the submissions suggests that the new regulations should: • continue requirements for the provision of fire extinguishers currently made under the HSNO Act but simplify firefighters’ capability requirement • simplify the requirements for the preparation, review, and testing of emergency plans • outline requirements for the design, fabrication, and certification of stationary container systems • specify that any emergency plan applying to major hazard facilities, the petroleum exploration and extraction sector or the mining and quarrying sector be

NZFS to assessing whether its proposed role is achievable, whether the role is consistent with the NZFS’s operational policies, and whether there is anything in the plan that may adversely affect NZFS operations during an emergency • enable NZFS to request further information from the PCBU if it considers that the emergency plan doesn’t provide enough information to enable NZFS to determine its role in the plan or determine the level or type of resources it may need to deploy effect the plan • require PCBUs to ‘have regard’ to any recommendation made

by NZFS about the content or effectiveness of an emergency plan — rather than a mandatory requirement to implement any NZFS recommendation.

Other issues currently under review include continuing requirements currently made under the HSNO Act outlining alternative labelling requirements that apply to stationary containers and bulk transport containers.

“Simplified requirements for

substances if they are manufactured at the workplace and will not be supplied to a person outside the workplace.”

PCBUs may also be required to ensure that they obtain the current safety data sheet for a hazardous substance from the manufacturer, importer, or supplier of the hazardous substance when the hazardous substance is first supplied.

Accessible advice “PCBUs should also be required to ensure that the current safety data sheet for a hazardous substance is readily accessible to a worker or any other person who is likely to be exposed to the hazardous substance at the workplace,” Mr Murray says.

“They should also be required to ensure that the current safety data sheet for a hazardous substance is readily accessible to any emergency service worker attending the workplace.”

PCBUs will be allowed to keep safety data sheets at the primary workplace if workers travel between workplaces, as long as those workers can immediately obtain the key safety information from the safety

intended to be opened on the retailer’s premises • or the hazardous substance is a consumer product and will be used only in quantities and in a way that is consistent with household use.

“Analysis of the submissions suggests that the toxic and corrosive substances regulations should continue the current requirements of the HSNO Act for the management of risk associated with toxic and corrosive substances,” Mr Murray observes.

They should prescribe: • requirements for the segregation of toxic and corrosive substances with incompatible substances • separation distances from areas of high intensity land use and public places • requirements for the safe storage of toxic and corrosive substances at transit depots • requirements for the safe application of toxic substances (agrichemicals in particular) and the management of both on-site and off-site effects.

“They should also require PCBUs to establish a hazardous substance

deemed to comply with the requirements for the preparation, review, and testing of emergency plans made under the hazardous substance regulations • allow for the review of hazardous substance emergency plans

the workplace labelling of hazardous substances should also be prescribed if the substances are transferred or decanted into a portable container and will not be supplied to a person outside the workplace,” Mr Murray adds.

data sheets in an emergency.

However, a PCBU wouldn’t be required to obtain and give access to the current safety data sheet for the hazardous substance if: • the hazardous substance is in transit

location at a workplace where highly toxic or corrosive substances are present,” Mr Murray adds, “and obtain a compliance certificate for those locations.”

Hazardous waste regulations are likewise being reviewed to clarify

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FOCUS >> Health & Safety Reform Bill application of the regulations to include any waste product that is a substance that meets the classification criteria for substances with explosive, flammable, oxidising, toxic or corrosive properties.

“There should also be simplified requirements for the workplace labelling of containers that are used to store these waste products,” he believes. “A simplified list of matters consistent with the Australian Model regulations should also be included in safety data sheets for these products.”

Mr Murray says the changes agreed in July 2013 are intended to improve the Test Certification Regime and to ensure that businesses have access to sound technical advice and compliance assurance.

“Under the new regulations, WorkSafe will be granted new functions and powers that will enable greater oversight and monitoring of the performance of test certifiers and the regime as a whole – including mandatory performance-targeted auditing on a cost-recovery basis,” he explains. “WorkSafe will also be able to appoint its own test certifiers to cover gaps in certain markets.”

Enabling WorkSafe to appoint its

own test certifiers will allow it to provide cover in areas where only a few test certifiers are active, he maintains. “The test certification regime is particularly vulnerable in areas where test certifiers stop practicing as there are generally few new entrants in these markets,” Mr Murray observes. “However, there shouldn’t be a need for WorkSafe to maintain an in-house capability for those areas where there are an adequate number of test certifiers.”

Performance-targeted auditing will be introduced on a cost-recovery basis because, as Mr Murray explains, test certification is a business activity. “Auditing costs are therefore a standard operating cost for that type of business and if the regulator were to fund the cost of auditing it would effectively be providing a subsidy to that business.”

A risk-based auditing programme, where certifiers that perform well are audited less frequently than those who are not, introduces a financial incentive. “Those who are performing well will benefit from comparatively lower auditing costs, while those who aren’t performing will be encouraged to reduce costs through performance im-

Greens seeing red over health and safety bill Transport and Industrial Relations committee member Denise Roche has reservations about several aspects of the forthcoming Health and Safety Reform Bill

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he Green Party is disappointed that this important legislation has been delayed while the National Party caucus responds to what the media has reported as lobbying from small businesses.

We are concerned about the potential for this type of lobbying to exclude some employers from the legislation when all workplaces need to have some minimum standards for safety and health, as well as some aspects of the Bill as it was presented to the house at its first reading.

It was purportedly based on the Australian model of regulation – however the crucial element of

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worker representation and the role of unions for supporting workplace democracy have been basically removed.

The evidence from the independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety was clear that workplace representation is one of the most important tools for improving health and safety - especially through properly constituted health and safety committees and empowered, well-trained health and safety representatives. The lack of inclusion of this type of requirement in the Bill gives workers less opportunity for participation than the existing laws.

The Bill as it was drafted seems to

provement,” Mr Murray says. “This proposal is no different to that found in other regulatory frameworks that require the auditing of independent third-party verifiers.”

The new regulations for Major Hazard Facilities that are currently being developed and due to come into effect this year will be based on a combination of Australian and UK legislation and use the thresholds in Seveso III, the main EU legislation dealing specifically with the control of on-shore major accident hazards involving dangerous substances.

WorkSafe’s preparations for the new regulations include the appointment of Major Hazard Facilities inspectors, including a Deputy Chief Inspector and five inspectors. “The team has a wide range of skills, including process engineering, auditing, land use planning and health and safety regulation.”

This team may grow after the regulations commence, Mr Murray advises. “We’re currently engaging with industry to assist them in compliance with the proposed regulations. At the end of the day, it’s about ensuring everyone who goes to work comes home healthy and safe.” be ideologically opposed to worker participation and many aspects of the existing laws that have kept workers safe. For example, in the Bill as drafted health and safety representatives may become optional for some workplaces and may be isolated to small workgroups that are determined by the employer; health and safety committees are optional for all workplaces and Persons Conducting a Business or Unit (PCBU); there is a greatly reduced role for unions in setting up health and safety committees, the election of health and safety representatives or even of offering assistance to representatives.

The Greens remain concerned that this watering down of worker participation will result in less-safe workplaces. The evidence suggests that where there is a high level of workplace democracy there are fewer accidents.

Creating a culture of safety and health requires good systems and

WorkSafe General Manager High Hazards & Specialist Services Brett Murray: “The majority of duty holders will only need to look to one regulatory regime to know how to manage the full range of hazards present in their workplace” The safe use, handling, manufacture, and storage of workplace hazardous substances will now come under the new Health and Safety at Work Act rather than the HSNO Act

Green Party spokesperson for Industrial Relations Denise Roche: “The bill as it was drafted seems to be ideologically opposed to worker participation and many aspects of the existing laws that have kept workers safe” a workplace environment where all workers are empowered to speak up about risks. I’m not sure that this Bill as first drafted will support this.

Denise Roche is Green Party spokesperson for Industrial Relations

Long overdue law could be better Iain Lees-Galloway believes the impending workplace health and safety legislation that followed the loss of so many lives at Pike River could be strengthened further

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ny honest assessment of New Zealand’s health and safety record would have led us to implement the Health and Safety Reform Bill whether or not 29 miners had been killed on a single day five years ago.

New Zealand’s workplace health and safety record is woeful. When the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety compared the records of nine market economy nations (including the UK, Australia, Canada and France), New Zealand ranked dead last.

Our rate of fatal injuries is over twice that of the UK. Around 100 people are killed at work every year, with agriculture alone responsible for the deaths of as many workers in a year as the explosion at Pike River.

With or without Pike River, action was long overdue.

The Bill is based primarily on three sources: • the recommendations of the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety • the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy • and the Australian Model Work Health and Safety Act. We can take comfort from this. It means that the Bill is based on two independent reports that evaluated both New Zealand’s health and safety landscape and the international best practice for improving safety at work as well as legislation that has been operating for just over 10 years in a country that is economically and socially similar to New Zealand. There is an abundance of evidence that the Bill is both fit for purpose and workable.

At its heart are three important concepts. The old language of employer and employee has been replaced with “Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking” (PCBU) and worker. The language may be a bit clunky but the idea is sound – to recognise that workplace relationships today are far more diverse and include contractors, self-employed

people, triangular employment relationships, temporary workers and other contractual arrangements.

Anyone in any of these relationships has a responsibility for workplace health and safety. Associated with this is a clarification that PCBUs operating on a shared workplace such as a port have a shared responsibility for the safety of all workers on that site.

There is a far greater expectation on directors and senior managers to take responsibility for health and safety. In reality this will mean ensuring that good policies are in place and that resources are available to maintain best practice. It is

In fact National MPs on the committee had already made significant changes before that delay occurred.

It is contempt of Parliament to reveal what those changes are before the Bill returns from select committee but what can be said is that they are unnecessary and make the Bill less fit for purpose.

Many of the concerns raised actually relate to how the Bill will be implemented rather than its content. Business owners appear concerned that there will be a checkbox mentality and that they will be required to do things that are costly but make no measurable difference to the safety of their

“It is clearly important that the government works harder to help businesses understand the value of the Bill and the intention to make positive and practical changes” expected that this added responsibility will encourage directors to take a greater interest in health and safety. That is a good thing.

There is a considerable emphasis on worker participation in matters relating to health and safety.

If there is one thing the international evidence tells us is vital to making workplaces safer, this is it. Changes to employment law and greater precariousness of employment have shifted workplace power dynamics and dampened workers’ willingness to speak up about safety concerns.

It is critical that the law both encourages and supports workers to participate in decisions that impact their safety.

Myths made Some myths have developed about what the Bill does and does not do. Unfortunately, National Party MPs seem to have succumbed to this myth making and have sought changes to the Bill. The fact that its report back from select committee has been delayed because of National’s concerns is well known.

workers. That is the exact opposite of what the Bill seeks to achieve.

It is worth noting that clause 17 of the Bill makes it clear that in assessing the steps a business must take to eliminate or minimise risk, consideration must be given to how suitable those steps are and that the cost should not be grossly disproportionate to the risk.

Ensuring that WorkSafe is properly resourced to work alongside business people proactively rather than simply issuing infringement notices or pursuing legal action is also vital to creating the culture change that the Bill is supposed to lead. Resourcing WorkSafe is in the government’s hands and outside the scope of the Bill.

However, WorkSafe cannot be everywhere at once and this leads to one of the key ways in which Labour believes the Bill needs to be strengthened.

The Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety listed ‘tripartism’ as a pre-requisite for a high-functioning workplace health and safety regulatory system. Tri-

partism involves the government regulator, employers and unions working together to improve workplace health and safety outcomes.

There are multiple deficiencies in the government’s commitment to tripartism, starting with the WorkSafe board having just one member out of seven with a background of representing workers, but let’s focus on what the Bill could achieve.

The most obvious manifestation of tripartism in the Bill is the option to have workplace health and safety representatives and committees which give workers a say in the implementation and enforcement health and safety requirements alongside business and WorkSafe.

Labour does not believe there is any need to in any way diminish the provisions relating to health and safety representatives contained in the Bill as it was introduced to Parliament. Those provisions are based on best practice and robust international evidence.

WorkSafe inspectors cannot be everywhere and trained health and safety representatives can not only ensure that safety standards are enforced, they can take a proactive role in making sure workers’ voices are heard when workplace systems are established and reviewed.

The Bill could be strengthened by taking a concept that has been applied solely to underground coalmining and adapting it for other high-risk industries. Industry health and safety representatives are appointed by a union or non-union group of workers to represent them across their industry. They are paid for by the union or group that appoints them and must meet specific competency requirements.

They have powers that are slightly stronger than workplace health and safety representatives and can operate at any worksite within their industry.

Industry health and safety representatives could be particularly helpful in reaching the thousands of small, isolated and high-risk

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FOCUS >> Health & Safety Reform Bill workplaces in industries such as agriculture and forestry. When they were originally recommended for mining, they were also recommended for quarrying and tunnelling.

The spate of tragic deaths at quarries this year and the admission by WorkSafe that many quarries are operated illegally and that data about them is scant suggests they should never have been excluded.

Labour strongly supports reform

of the health and safety law. We believe that the Bill is an important step forward and must be part of the culture change our country desperately needs. We do not see a place for watering down of any aspect of the Bill and can see some areas where strengthening it is desirable.

It is clearly important that the government works harder to help businesses understand the value of the Bill and the intention to make

positive and practical changes.

It ought not to result in mindless box-checking. That will get us nowhere.

Iain Lees-Galloway is the MP for Palmerston North and the Labour Party spokesperson for labour Labour Party spokesperson for labour Iain Lees-Galloway: “Industry health and safety representatives could be particularly helpful in reaching the thousands of small, isolated and high-risk workplaces in industries such as agriculture and forestry”

Local health and safety slammed on international stage Workers voiced concerns about the reform of health and safety happening in New Zealand at the recent 104th session of the International Labour Organisation in Geneva

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TU General Counsel Jeff Sissons gave a damning account of what has happened in health and safety since 29 men were killed in the Pike River Mine methane explosion on 19 November 2010.

New Zealand is grappling with health and safety reform in the wake of one of the country’s worst workplace tragedies, Mr Sissons told the labour representatives of some 185 countries.

A Royal Commission of Inquiry in 2011 found a series of systemic failures – the mine did not have safe systems of work and should not have been producing coal, early warnings had been ignored and government inspection was inadequate.

The Minister of Labour resigned her warrant in response to the report and the government convened an expert tripartite taskforce in 2012 to conduct a root-and-branch review of New Zealand’s health and safety system.

“The taskforce found that New Zealand’s health and safety performance was hobbled by confusing and inadequate law and regulation, a weak regulator that did not carry out its functions properly, and inadequate leadership, capability and knowledge by all participants in the system,” Mr Sissons recalls.

The taskforce noted that “worker participation is a crucial weak link” that must be strengthened and that small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) employing fewer than 20 workers

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found health and safety particularly difficult.

safety representatives will have their remit restricted to employer-de-

The taskforce said New Zealand needed “an urgent, sustainable step change in harm prevention activity and a dramatic improvement in outcomes” and made a sweeping set of recommendations; the most profound of which was replacing New Zealand’s primary health and safety law with a new law based on the Australian Model Workplace Health and Safety Law. “The government replied stating that it would broadly follow all of the taskforce’s recommendations.”

The Health and Safety Reform Bill was introduced on 10 March 2014 and followed the Australian model closely. “While the Bill was not perfect, we were hopeful that this signalled the start of a new era,” Mr Sissons said.

Unfortunately, following intensive lobbying, Mr Sissons says it appears that the government plans to amend the Bill to significantly reduce workers’ rights to negotiate a health and safety system. “System design becomes the responsibility of the business alone,” he notes.

“The government members intend that, unlike current law, businesses employing less than 20 workers

termined groups of workers,” he predicts. “These changes will strain the crucial weak link of worker participation to breaking point.”

Mr Sissons says there is “comprehensive international evidence” that collectivised workplaces with strong worker voice are considerably safer. “Co-determination of health and safety between workers and employers leads to significant improvements,” he adds. “Individualised, top-down health and safety systems do not provide the same level of protection.”

The CTU agrees that SMEs pose a particularly difficult challenge. “New Zealand does not have good data on rates of injury by enterprise size but OSHA research suggests that the incidence rate for fatal accidents in SMEs is around double that for large companies.”

Some 30 percent of workers in New Zealand work in SMEs and their safety is as important as workers in large companies, Mr Sissons insists.

“We understand the pressures on SMEs but they need more support not less regulation.”

New Zealand ratified Convention 155 on Occupational Safety and

may choose to ignore the request of workers for health and safety representatives.”

As a result, Mr Sissons says workers and unions will have less involvement in the set-up of worker participation systems. “Health and

Health in 2007 and he believes the proposed changes appear to contravene Convention 155. “They are also contrary to workers’ ability to elect their representatives in full freedom.”

The CTU is therefore urging the

CTU General Counsel Jeff Sissons: “The government members intend that, unlike current law, businesses employing less than 20 workers may choose to ignore the request of workers for health and safety representatives”

government to honour the memory of the 29 miners buried at Pike River and to be on the right side of history. “It is not too late but a window of opportunity is swiftly closing,” Mr Sissons says.

CTU President Helen Kelly adds that it’s “distressing” that the CTU is having to tell the world that New Zealand is not doing all it can to keep its workers safe. “New Zealand is now falling behind international standards on health and safety because the National government is indulging the desire of some of our most dangerous employers to exclude workers from proper employee participation in health and safety.”

NATIONAL SAFE T Y SHOW ROUNDUP

Exhibitors like PBI and NZ Red Cross put in a great deal of effort building large interactive exhibition stands onsite at the expo -- hosting live demonstrations of safety products and services and showcasing new product releases

Huge turnout at The National Safety Show 2015 Record crowds attended New Zealand’s largest trade exhibition dedicated to workplace health and safety solutions and education

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rganisers of the National Safety Show, XPO Exhibitions (XPO), said the three-day event in June was a huge success.

Almost 300 exhibiting companies were assisted in part by the decision to co-locate the National Safety Show alongside the award winning buildnz | designex event.

This decision proved to be a positive step forward given the many complementary crossovers between the building and design industry and health and safety sector.

More than 6,200 visitors, of which 5,467 were unique, attended the co-located events. With 1,120 of these unique visitors registered to attend The National Safety Show, many thousands more trade visitors crossed over from buildnz | designex as they searched out health & safety products and solutions for their business.

XPO says exhibitors put in a great

deal of effort building large interactive exhibition stands onsite at the expo, hosting live demonstrations of safety products and services, and showcasing new product releases.

“It’s pleasing to see that the exhibitors hard work has been rewarded with a strong flow of qualified and quality industry professionals attending the event and a high level of engagement between visitor and exhibitor as they explored the many product and service innovations on offer” says Tony Waite, Sales and Events Director of XPO. The National Safety Show is an important event because it is highly targeted at health & safety leaders and decision makers. It gives exhibitors the opportunity to make meaningful connections with a wide range of new and existing contacts.

The strong number of industry professionals in attendance was really pleasing with many noting the seminars and workshops and

Janet Carmichael and Marcus Bird (left) with National Education Training Manager Graham Wrigley at the Red Cross stand product education being an important reason to attend.

“We hosted three full days of free seminars for the industry, with speakers ranging from The Drug Detection Agency and SARNZ through to Worksafe New Zealand, as they updated attendees on the new Health and Safety Reform Bill and what Worksafe Inspectors will be focused on when visiting your business.

“We’ve been inundated with feedback that the show had a lot more new products and innovations than prior shows – a mix of kiwi made and/or internationally sourced,” says Mr Waite.

“We’ve had good feedback that the show is hitting all the buttons in terms of a targeted trade whole industry attendance.

There is no other event bringing the biggest and best innovators in Health and Safety together under one roof.”

The organisers are now ramping up for Canterbury buildnz | designex in August 2016 (Winner of Best New Trade Show in Australasia in 2014) which will also feature a Health and Safety area.

Last event sold out exhibitor spaces very quickly so we’d encourage those interested to get in early! www.canterburybuildnz.co.nz

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NATIONAL SAFE T Y SHOW ROUNDUP

Chief executive of Responsible Care Barry Dyer was on the Industrial Safety News stand to talk about chemical safety

Marcus Bathan (left) and Andrew Sykes of international training company Vertical Horizons Group

Elizabeth Thomas (left) and Sheryl Jones were on the stand of broad based training providers Safety ‘N Action

The stand of environmentally conscious Arrow Matting Systems (above) was manned by William Ford while (below) Autoline’s Matt Fisher (left) and Ebony Fisher explained the company’s 1Guard modular safety system

Safety Nets Craig Daly (left) and Krael Turner reported good interest in their products

Anthony Griffin of “the glove professionals” glove supplier Lynn River enjoyed a steady stream of interested customers

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Jonathon Hillary (left), Jamie Sutherland looking happy with the show results for total safety solution supplier Active Safety

Top E-learning provider NOSA was represented at the show by vice president of the Pacific Rim Lance Hiscoe

Vanguard has been providing the right solution to traffic and pedestrian safety solutions for more than two decades (see P15)

Bevan Taylor manned the stand for Tru- Built and its range of heavy duty barrier system, access and loading innovations

Managing director of Oliver Footwear Phillip Hughes came from Ballarat in Australia to help with the presentation

Moira Howson (left) and Andrea Polzer-Debruyne of leading training group PeopleCentric

Safety Ladder Legs’ Nicole Kempthorne demonstrates the safety aspects of their product while John Kempthorne looks on

Jessica Coleman and Ben Martin of asbestos control’s CEDA Environmental

St John explained their training programmes and other services to visitors

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Train with the experts You never know when you may need to help in an accident or medical emergency.

St John offers a wide range of first aid courses from First Aid Level 1 through to Advanced Resuscitation. And we also provide Refresher courses, and comply with NZQA requirements.

More importantly though, our courses are taught by experts with real field experience. Ambulance officers and Pre Hospital Emergency Care qualified staff are our teachers because we know that first aid is more than an academic exercise, it can make the difference between life and death.

Contact us to find out more, call 0800 FIRST AID (0800 347 782) or visit www.stjohn.org.nz/first-aid