Many business owners may be aware that new health & safety legislation has been introduced in New Zealand, but many still are unaware of the effect this will have on their business. So what will this new legislation mean for organisations in New Zealand?

New focus for New Zealand businesses

One of the major changes that the Health and Safety at Work Act will implement will be a shift in focus from simply monitoring and recording workplace injuries, to a more proactive stance that requires companies to identify risks and implement processes that manage them properly. 

While much of the focus has been on the introduction of Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU), there has also been significant changes to the responsibilities of workers. As the foremost actors of health and safety in a workplace, the legislation places new emphasis on workers' obligations to themselves and others. 

Specifically, this means:

• taking reasonable care of their own safety;
• taking reasonable care to ensure what they do or do not do does not impact the safety of others;
• cooperating with reasonable policy, which has been communicated to workers; and
• complying with any reasonable instruction to the best of their abilities in an effort to allow PCBU to comply with legislation.

While these changes affect workers, the PCBU is responsible to ensure the health and safety of workers. One way the new legislation encourages companies to act on this requirement is through a number of legislative conditions that focus on worker engagement.

How can SiteApp help you?

Engaging workers through technological innovation

The new law foregrounds the role of organisations to engage workers in relation to health and safety issues, and offer them opportunities to participate in the improvement of health and safety. While Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and Health and Safety Committees (HSCs) are two traditional ways of encouraging engagement, technology can also offer PCBUs a viable avenue.

In many workplaces, health and safety is seen as overly bureaucratic, however, there are a number of ways to streamline the compliance process. One example of a practical solution is offered by New Zealand's own SiteApp. 

This technologically innovative platform allows workers in the field to access key compliance documents, systems and processes that are required under new legislation. From hazard identification to compliance documentation, this one-stop shop can make accessing and adding documentation a breeze.

If you would like to know more about how SiteApp can streamline your workplace, contact a representative today.

Work health and safety is a major focus for a number of business – and why not? It is a requirement under the law and can also drive worker engagement. Yet a new report has shown that a number of businesses are not doing enough to ensure their day-to-day practices are up to standard.

So what are the penalties for compliance failure and how can businesses work towards best practice?

New Zealand: The land of health and safety

While no one would say that workplace health and safety is a finished product, many believe they are doing all they can to ensure workers' safety. However, a recent report highlights that there still are a number of gaps in relation to health and safety at work.

A recent survey from Deloitte found that 83 per cent of the boards are confident that they have the right level of experience and knowledge to understand the risks to business. However, the report – titled: Are we as safe as we want to be? 2016 Health & Safety Leadership Survey – found there was a major disjunction between CEO confidence in the health and safety systems they have in place and the day-to-day practices within their companies.

Taking answers from 133 CEOs located around Australia, Deloitte found that their responses were indicative of an unintentional divide between organisational dedication to health and safety and everyday practices. For instance, only 59 per cent of site visits include informal conversations with workers, even though safety discussions are a viable and successful way of identifying and mapping safety-weak points in an organisation.

Health and safety is more than paper and pens.

Failure to comply is a serious issue

As the health and safety of workers and the public is a serious issue, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment conduct inspections of workplaces to ensure compliance. If an organisation fails to act in accordance with the law, they can be liable for penalties and fines. 

Additionally, health and safety inspectors can issue improvement notices, that if not abided by can lead to more serious consequences, such as a prohibition notice. This allows an inspector to stop unsafe machinery or work if they believe that injury is likely to occur.

One way to avoid non-compliance penalties and notices is to ensure that all systems are simple and easy to access. Digital platforms such as a safety app can be just what you are looking for. If you would like to know more about this, talk to the experts at SiteApp today. 

You've probably heard about one of the newest developments in IT – the cloud. Rather than hosting software and storage locally, construction companies are now moving their IT functionality to third-parties who handle the day-to-day management of these services.

The benefits for construction companies are considerable. Not only does it mean that they don't have to invest in building and maintaining their own IT infrastructure, but all it takes to access this functionality is an internet connection.

Many companies have already invested in these services, but the cloud is only now starting to make its presence felt in the construction sector. Despite this, new cloud-based solutions are expected to transform the industry in coming years, with health and safety at work just one area that is undergoing this transformation.

Mobile devices are the gateway to new cloud services.

Cloudy outlook for construction

Perhaps the biggest advantage cloud services are offering for those in the electrical sector is the ability to access the same information from any location through the internet. For a construction business, this makes it easy for remote teams to access the same services they would be able to at the head office, all through the convenience of the internet.

Cloud-based software also has the advantage  of being instantly updated once a worker uploads information. For managers, this means having instant oversight of teams on site and the work they are completing.

Cloud technology on the mobile construction site

The cloud isn't just popular because of the functionality it can offer as a stand-alone technology. In industries like construction, the real benefit is when it is combined with mobile devices. This means that workers can now access a full range of tools, all from the screen in their pocket or the tablet in the back of their truck. 

The rise of the smartphone on construction sites was tracked by Constructech, which revealed that, even in 2011, 81 per cent of companies were using smartphones on site to streamline their performance. Field reporting, project management and safety reporting were all cited as areas where staff are making the most of mobile solutions.

In the future, cloud-based services are only going to increase in use, driven by the ease of access and the popularity of mobile apps like SiteApp. This software is specifically designed to give construction companies a comprehensive, cloud-based app solution to their health and safety compliance needs.

As construction firms become increasingly reliant on cloud technology, those companies that keep up with this trend will also be the ones who are able to keep staff safe on site, all while streamlining their workflow.

New Zealand’s WHS regulations are always changing in order to provide workers with the protections they need to stay safe at work.

The Health and Safety at Work Act is just one example of this commitment, and it’s changing the way construction companies approach their WHS responsibilities.

Why is there new legislation?

In response to the Pike River mine tragedy, the government has passed the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. The legislation is based upon the Australian Work Health and Safety Acts, which have managed to reduce workplace deaths in Australia by 16 per cent. New Zealand will likely see a similar reduction.

What is the main change?

A PCBU (Person Conducting Business or Undertaking) is obliged under Section 36 of the new Act to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all workers and persons on the property. This requires businesses (including boards of directors) to be proactive and take a broad view of compliance. It is no longer sufficient to assume that because no injury has occurred, you are safe.

When will I need to comply?

The new laws have already been passed, but will not commence operation until April 2016. This is designed to give everyone the chance to bring their business practices into line with the new legislation – it does not mean that you don’t have to do anything until April 2016! Once the legislation commences, any non-compliant businesses can be liable for fines up to $3,000,000!

Construction is just one sector where health and safety has to be taken seriously.

Responding to compliance needs with new technology

While the compliance requirements that come with new legislation are a major challenge, many companies are looking to technology to help them stay compliant across the board.

This is especially true in the construction sector, where a company will have staff operating across multiple sites, each with unique risks that staff will have to manage. This is exactly where new technologies and processes can add value.

SiteApp is just one example of how construction firms are going digital, providing a single platform to track safety hazards on site and meet compliance requirements under new legislation.

As New Zealand’s compliance landscape continues to evolve, companies will have to remain vigilant and maintain these standards. The good news is that there are a range of digital tools like SiteApp that are making it easier than ever to stay up-to-date with these obligations.