New Zealand's construction industry is one of the most important in the country. However the government reported 31 deaths between 2011 and 2016, leaving construction businesses with more than compliance to think about.
How do these New Zealand health and safety terms impact your business?
With the introduction of the new Health and Safety at Work Act, New Zealand is moving towards a safer, more responsible construction industry. To help with the transition, we at SiteApp have brought together three terms to ensure that your business understands its obligations.
Term 1 – PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking)
A PCBU is a 'person conducting a business or undertaking'. It can be either an individual person or an organisation, however, in most cases it is the latter (such as a business entity). In some cases a PCBU can also be an individual, for instance, a contractor.
A PCBU is the new term that is used to set out the responsibilities of an undertaking or a business. The main focus is on the PCBU's responsibility, as far as reasonably practicable, to ensure the health and safety of workers and others who are put at risk by the work being done.
Term 2 – Duty and duty holders
The new health and safety legislation outlines a number of duties that PCBUs and others must satisfy. Duties are basically a moral or legal responsibility or obligation, which can come in a number of forms. For instance, a PCBU has a duty to ensure that workers have access to and participate in health and safety improvement activities.
As for who shoulders these responsibilities, there are currently four duty holders:
- PCBUs;
- officers;
- workers; and
- other persons at workplaces.
Term 3 – Overlapping duties
This term refers to occasions where a duty holder's responsibilities overlap with another's. There are a number of places where an overlap could occur. For one, if multiple businesses are using the same site and its workers are influencing the same area, the duties of the PCBUs will overlap.
When this occurs, health and safety legislation requires PCBUs to co-operate, consult and coordinate with each other. It also ensures there are no gaps in the web of overlapping duties and that responsibilities are applied consistently.
Coordinating with another can be problematic if you are using older, paper-based health and safety systems. Safety software, such as New Zealand's SiteApp, can ensure that you are collaborating effectively with others, while also driving employee engagement.
If you would like to know more about how your business can ensure workplace compliance, contact SiteApp today.