Department to target Tauranga building sites

21 June 2007

Department of Labour to target Tauranga building sites

Residential construction sites in Tauranga will be the focus of a series of unannounced visits by teams of Health & Safety Inspectors from the Department of Labour next month.

It is part of an ongoing programme to raise awareness within the local construction industry of duties to take all practicable steps to ensure people are not harmed in the workplace, says Steve Worsley, the Department of Labour’s Tauranga Team Leader.

“Despite the good work and participation in local initiatives by many within the industry, the Department is concerned that the number of injuries on New Zealand construction sites continues to rise,” says Mr Worsely. “The current accident fatality and injury rates are tragic and unacceptable.”

During the Labour Department visits information and advice will be provided to encourage firms to lift their performance in the area of workplace safety. However, Mr Worsley says where non-compliance and unsafe work practices are observed, action will be taken by the Department to ensure the safety of people working on, or in the vicinity, of these sites, and to hold negligent firms accountable.

“ACC statistics show that injuries in this industry cost $25 million last year, but of course the direct impact upon the victims, their families and colleagues is immeasurable,” says Mr Worsley. “This co-ordinated and targeted approach is seen by the Department of Labour as an effective method of assisting industry to reduce the rates of injury, as well as achieving our vision of helping New Zealand work better.

“We know that accidents and injuries in the workplace have a significant impact on the productivity of a business and its ability to function effectively. So it makes good business sense to ensure everyone working on a construction site goes home safely at the end of the working day,” said Mr Worsley.

ENDS

To the journalist: Please note that health and safety services, formerly referred to as Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) should now be referred to as the Department of Labour.

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