Cross-contamination of airborne viruses and diseases is nearly 20 times more likely indoors than out, yet most New Zealand employers and institutions have no formal air hygiene practices in place or guidelines to follow, Rentokil Initial New Zealand Managing Director Craig Wilson says With new research revealing 4 out of 5 Kiwis believe they are at risk of being exposed to Covid-19 and other airborne viruses in workplaces, Rentokil Initial is urging businesses to implement air hygiene practices to safeguard their employees and customers and help with the return to normal. Continue →

Health and safety practices at ports will be investigated as part of range of actions being taken in response to two deaths in the sector in the space of a week Recently we have seen a disproportionate number of injuries and fatalities in the port industry, Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Michael Wood says. Continue →

The coming winter, with its rains and current economic pressures, is a time of heightened danger for Kiwi workers who are still too willing to cut corners, Besafe Training General Manager Jason Braithwaite says Supply shortages will put extreme deadlines and financial pressures on labourers and tradespeople as weather conditions begin to deteriorate ahead of winter. Continue →

Despite employers placing skills and talent shortages in their top three most urgent concerns, only half of employees feel skills development is a priority to their managers, Conerstone research finds The report, Thriving in the Global Skills Shortage: Your Path Through the Wilderness, found that nearly half of employers surveyed placed skills and talent shortages within their top three most urgent concerns in the next three years and identified a strong positive correlation between overall business performance and the quality of new skilling support and development opportunities offered to employees. Continue →

WorkSafe is putting out a safety alert after a design fault with several brands of combination heat/light/fan units has been identified as a fire hazard An example of a plastic lamp holder. Continue →

While they’re good marketing and may meet current Government guidelines, a health and safety company is warning employers to avoid issuing staff with branded cloth masks Employers are responsible for the health and safety of their staff on-site, and issuing PPE equipment that is not fit for purpose could have serious implications, Besafe Training General Manager Jason Braithwaite says. Continue →

Changes could be on the way after a report revealed gaps in how we monitor chemicals in the environment and how we interpret their impact on living things The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, is proposing changes to the way New Zealand manages chemicals to make sure their environmental impacts are not overlooked. Continue →

A worker is lucky to have avoided serious injury or death after trying to cut the top off of an oil drum WorkSafe was recently notified of a serious incident involving hot work being performed on an oil drum that resulted in a worker needing hospital treatment. Continue →

Key principles and ways to reduce likely risks when using Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) in public areas and near roads has been published by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) The use of powered access to provide an effective means of access to work at height is constantly increasing worldwide as the productivity and safety benefits are recognised by businesses and employers alike, IPAF Head of Safety & Technical Brian Parker says. Continue →

The introduction of game changing 360-degree rotating telehandlers looks set to disrupt the infrastructure, civil and construction industries The days of needing on site a mobile crane, a boom lift or other types of elevated work platforms, a forklift and an excavator are numbered – one machine can do it all. Continue →