Health and Safety at Work reform
Published: 24 Sept 2021An information booklet outlining the changes to regulations for plant, structures, working at heights, and excavations.
Type
File
PDF, 2.9MB, 12 pages
The Government has announced changes to the regulations that sit under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
The plant, structures, and hazardous work draft regulations are a package of reforms aimed at reducing work-related harm in New Zealand. The Government agreed to policy reforms in May 2021 following public consultation in 2019 on options for effectively managing risks to work involving plant, structures, and hazardous work at height and on excavations. These changes will provide more clarity and certainty for businesses, and better health and safety for workers.
This isn’t about creating cumbersome new requirements; it’s about ensuring better regulations to keep workers safe. In the last decade, an average of 54 people died at work each year from injuries involving plant (such as workplace machinery, vehicles and equipment) and structures (such as scaffolding and excavations).
The existing regulations are outdated and full of gaps. They are being modernised to ensure they are clear, effective, proportionate, and durable. By updating the regulations, businesses will be supported to better manage the risks in their workplaces and reduce work-related harm and fatalities.
The improved regulations will bring New Zealand up to international health and safety standards. New Zealand’s work-related injury fatality rate is comparatively high, approximately twice that of Australia and 4 times the rate of the United Kingdom.
This is part of the regulatory reform programme to continue implementing the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
Background information about the reform programme and additional documents
Consultation on the draft regulations has not been able to occur earlier in 2023 as previously planned. Events in the first half of 2023, including the response to the North Island weather events and recovery, have meant that the timeline for Ministerial consideration of the exposure draft of the regulations, and therefore the consultation, have been delayed until after the election.
This is a highly complex area, and will require a detailed and nuanced discussion with businesses and workers to get the drafting right. We want to make sure that businesses and workers have enough time to engage properly with the draft regulations, and are able to provide feedback in a way that works for them.
We appreciate your continued support, interest and dedication to health and safety in Aotearoa New Zealand.
We will update you on next steps for the release of consultation materials when we have a timeline confirmed.
You can join our mailing list to register your interest in receiving a draft of the regulations when they are published.
Subscribe to our mailing list(external link)
In July 2019, the Government released a discussion paper that sought feedback on how to improve protections for people working with plant, structures, and hazardous work.
The discussion paper covered:
Submissions closed on 4 October 2019 and informed the Government’s approval of policy decisions in May 2021.
Read more about the 2019 consultation and additional documents
An information booklet outlining the changes to regulations for plant, structures, working at heights, and excavations.
PDF, 2.9MB, 12 pages
Cabinet paper seeking approval for Health and Safety at Work plant and structures regulatory reform
PDF, 3.6MB, 325 pages
Cabinet committee approved the Health and Safety at Work plant and structures regulatory reform.
PDF, 96KB, 7 pages
Cabinet approved the Health and Safety at Work plant and structures regulatory reform.
PDF, 94KB, 7 pages
A summary of submissions.
PDF, 1.7MB, 153 pages
© Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
https://www.mbie.govt.nz/business-and-employment/employment-and-skills/health-and-safety/health-and-safety-reform/health-and-safety-at-work-act-2015-plant-structures-and-hazardous-work/
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