Of those polled, 95 percent sought clear guidance to support health and safety reforms
The results of a recently released survey of the construction industry revealed that 95 percent asked for more precise guidance on the government’s health and safety reforms and the increased utilisation of approved codes of practice (ACOPs).
According to the survey findings of Site Safe, the construction industry’s national health and safety organisation:
“The industry is asking for clarity and practicality, and that is what I’m delivering,” said Brooke van Velden, workplace relations and safety minister, in a news release. “These reforms will make it easier for workers and employers to prioritise the right actions to protect them from harm and know where their attention should be to keep themselves and their workmates safe.”
In the government’s news release, she added that the survey results demonstrated that the reforms were improving key areas of the construction industry. Specifically, she welcomed the construction sector’s support for increased focus on clear guidance and critical risks.
“Feedback that industry professionals believe this will help improve health and safety outcomes in a high-risk sector shows we have listened to people on the ground to make meaningful changes,” van Velden said.
She added that she had expected to see the construction sector’s support for clear guidance and the use of ACOPs.
“That is why I have asked WorkSafe to prioritise improving its provision of guidance, including around prequalification, so that businesses understand when and how they need to work together to manage risks,” van Velden said.
In its news release, the government explained that construction businesses prominently used prequalification to verify whether a company or contractor could safely perform a construction project before permitting them to bid for or begin work.
van Velden noted that she was planning amendments to health and safety legislation that aimed to:
“WorkSafe has hit the ground running working with industry to develop an ACOP on clarifying overlapping duties in construction, which I know is an area the sector would like to see prioritised,” she said.
In the government’s news release, van Velden shared that she left Wellington to canvass public sentiment on how the present system worked and which health and safety reforms were desirable.
“During consultation on health and safety reforms, I prioritised going out across the country and hearing from Kiwis who deal with health and safety rules firsthand about the issues they have with the system, and areas they most want to see improvements,” she said. “It was from this direct feedback that I’ve chosen where to focus efforts to reform the system.”
