With well over a quarter of a million people employed in New Zealand’s construction and facilities management sectors, there is an obvious need for a close eye on mental wellbeing. Continue →

“This was a potentially catastrophic incident and it is pure luck that no-one was killed,” says Danielle Henry, Northern Investigations Manager for WorkSafe Four children under the age of four and a teacher were injured by a falling tree at Discoveries Educare Centre in Epsom Auckland in November 2016. Continue →

Australia is home to some of the worst workplace bullying in the developed world, ranking sixth highest in a recent study comparing us with 31 European countries, but Researchers at the University of South Australia have come up with a solution Around 10 per cent of Australian employees admit to being bullied at work, but that figure may hide the true extent of the problem, with much antisocial workplace behaviour going unreported and research suggesting up to two-thirds of workers may experience unfair treatment on the job. Continue →

Virtual Reality creates an artificial environment which enables real world learning from virtual reactions Gareth Beck (left), Health Safety Advisor, Aurecon, with Heindri Conradie, Digital Specialist, wearing the VR headset For a look into the future of Health and Safety a good person to speak to is Gareth Beck, H&S Advisor at engineering and infrastructure company Aurecon and a founding member of NZ Institute of Safety Management’s Emerging Safety Leaders group. Continue →

A Tauranga gasfitter has been sentenced to four months’ community detention after a gas fireplace he installed incorrectly caught fire causing significant damage to the house Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Patrick Joseph Dykes appeared at the Tauranga District Court after Dykes’ company was hired to install a gas fireplace at a home in Tauranga. Continue →

Hand tool safety tips are useful in every workplace – almost every job calls for their use, and healthy hands are necessary for every job People who work in warehouses, construction sites, or in industrial workplaces will likely use hand tools more frequently, but even office workers use scissors, box cutters, and utility knives. Continue →

A Manawatū farmer says his community wants easier access to a blood test for toxic chemicals from firefighting foam, but the Health Ministry is telling them not to bother according to RNZ News The groundwater around defence bases including Ōhakea in Manawatū have been contaminated with toxic and long-lasting firefighting foam chemicals. Continue →

A company was fined $150,000 after a botched home demolition job triggered a gas leak, trapped a neighbour in her property and left workers at risk of exposure to asbestos During the incident in December 2017 Quick Earth Moving Limited used two large diggers to pull down a house in Point Chevalier and immediately ran into issues. Continue →

A scaffolding company has been fined $150,000 after a poorly designed scaffold collapsed while seven people were working on it Affordable Scaffolding (2010) Limited was sentenced at the Auckland District Court last month following the February 2017 incident involving a scaffold erected under the Panmure Bridge in Auckland. Continue →

University researchers are working to enhance safety and predictability in concrete construction projects Screw anchors are gaining popularity in construction and infrastructure because of their simplicity of installation, ability to bear load straight after installation, and ease of removal. Continue →