28 February 2013
135 health and safety inspectors have to reapply for jobs
The Public Service Association is warning that a major restructuring of health and safety inspectors risks creating an
inspector shortfall.
All 135 health and safety inspectors within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment have been told this week
that their roles have been disestablished. They now have to reapply for new positions through a very rigorous process
which includes psychometric testing.
The PSA says any inspector who is unsuccessful will be made redundant or asked to apply again.
“This is an incredibly stressful time for health and safety inspectors who have recently been merged into the new MBIE
superministry and just last week were told they were being moved into a separate Crown entity,” says PSA National
Secretary Brenda Pilott.
“There is a lot of change fatigue and many are already saying that instead of going through the job reapplication
process, they will opt for redundancy or look for other jobs.”
There also remains some confusion over why they are being forced to reapply for positions which in their view are not
that different to their current roles.
Brenda Pilott says “it is already difficult trying to fill vacancies in the health and safety inspectorate and we can’t
afford to let this process result in the loss of experienced inspectors.”
“Strengthening health and safety regulation is in everyone’s interests and this restructure does have a focus on better
training and support and will see changes to management and reporting lines. However the feeling is that could be done
without a wholesale job reapplication process which inspectors believe will be time consuming, distracting and expensive
and could result in the loss of valuable staff.”
ENDS