Launch follows health and safety reforms announced earlier this year
Brooke van Velden, workplace relations and safety minister, has announced the launch of the approved code of practice (ACOP) for forestry and harvesting operations to address ambiguity about health and safety obligations and concerns within the forestry industry.
“This new forestry code follows a suite of health and safety reforms announced earlier in the year which aim to focus the system on reducing critical risk and improve clarity for businesses, with a strong focus on supporting high-risk sectors,” van Velden said in the government’s news release.
In its news release, the government emphasised that forestry is one of New Zealand’s highest-risk industries. van Velden met with the sector’s players at her health and safety road show and gained insights into the risks and dangers facing workers when visiting forestry operations in September 2024.
WorkSafe engaged with the forestry industry and received input from its workers and companies to develop guidelines intending to tackle the risks the sector specifically encounters and reduce deaths and serious injuries.
“The guidance blends technical expertise with hands-on knowledge from the sector, and uses shared language between the two,” said Sharon Thompson, WorkSafe New Zealand’s chief executive, in a news release.
The government’s news release shared the following statistics relevant to the forestry sector:
“Reducing deaths and injuries in forestry requires everyone in the sector to properly plan for and practise safe harvesting,” Thompson said in WorkSafe’s news release.
“Huge strides have been made to improve work health and safety in the forestry industry, but there’s plenty of work to be done,” said Joe Akari, chief executive of the Forest Industry Safety Council and Safetree New Zealand, in WorkSafe’s news release. “We want the same thing – for our people to be safe on the job, and to come home from work safely every day.”
According to the government’s news release, as part of the health and safety reforms announced this year, van Velden stressed a move toward relying more on specific and updated ACOPs.
ACOPs are practical guidelines seeking to help participants in different sectors and industries fulfill their health and safety duties. The guidance also aims to reflect specific and real needs, shift away from one-size-fits-all approaches, and reduce confusion for employers.
van Velden said an amendment in the ACOP model seeks to help players in specific sectors and industries be confident that they have done enough to comply with their health and safety obligations, as long as they have abided by the applicable ACOP.
In its news release, the government said it intends to develop ACOPs for agriculture, construction, and other sectors.
“We want to work with industry to create codes of practice that are realistic and effective,” van Velden said. “The goal is to make health and safety laws clearer and simpler while actually improving workplace safety.”
