New Inspection Regime Hits The Streets
The Maintenance Engineering Society of NZ (MESNZ) has highlighted it. WorkSafe NZ has been proactive in publicising it.
Now the reality is hitting home as Worksafe NZ inspectors start the pilot trial of their new health and safety
inspection regime in Auckland, Tauranga and Taranaki. Commencing in June, the pilot inspection scheme has not taken long
to start generating disquiet and alarm amongst manufacturers and engineers.
Inspectors are operating in targeted areas visiting sites to assess housekeeping, machinery maintenance, guarding,
operator training, safe work procedures and health hazard controls. Assessment includes a focus on hazard and risk
inspection records, health surveillance and written instructions for risks, training, supervision, PPE and cleaning. The
scrutiny could be equated to a tertiary ACC WSMP audit, applied virtually without warning with the risk of an
infringement notice if you get it wrong.
It is not solely an inspection that business owners need to be aware of and prepared for. WorkSafe NZ’s stated intention
of issuing infringement notices right from the outset without any “soft landing’ period sends alarm bells through small
business’s who clearly called for a “more carrot less stick” approach during the consultative task force period.
While MESNZ fully supports lifting the game of health and safety in New Zealand, the approach raises some concern, with
a wave of consultants forming a second front behind the inspectors, eagerly touting their wares to dumbstruck business
owners. The society has fielded calls from businesses and engineers confused by the tag team of inspectors and
consultants, sometimes unsure who represents what entity. This atmosphere of scaremongering is not constructive for NZ
Inc. looking for a step change in our approach to health and safety performance. The advice to business owners is to
seek a second opinion if uncomfortable with consultants’ advice and be particularly wary of consultants providing both
the problem and the solution.
So what can the business owner do to prepare check their own compliance before an inspector visits? WorkSafe NZ has
worked hard to ensure that information is available both on its own website and with industry organisations such as
MESNZ. Browsers can click through to http://www.mesnz.org.nz/resources/health-safety/worksafe-tools/ on the MESNZ website to download WorkSafe Nz’s own assessment tools on noise, airborne contaminants, machinery and
workplace transport. These draft tools are the same as the inspection staff will be using in their pilot inspections, so
are the ideal place to start your own reality check.
For machinery operators, the new Best Practice Guideline for the Safe Use of Machinery is a key document accompanying
the pilot inspections. As part of its service to members, MESNZ has distributed hard copies of the new guide to all of
its full members. The new guideline, which brings the Australian Standard AS4024 into play, will cause some angst, not
only because of significantly more demanding requirements, but also the reference to site engineers having competency in
AS4024. A reality check across industrial engineers has confirmed a lack of knowledge and training in both AS4024 and
the new guideline and MESNZ is actively exploring roles that it can play to ensure that manufacturers can embed
competencies in their operations. Current experience suggests that internal competencies are a necessary counter to
balance the advice of consultants if solutions are going to be workable, affordable and effective in the long term.
MESNZ strongly suggests that business’s talk to their peers and organisations both in New Zealand and Australia before
reaching decisions on guarding.
Some MESNZ members confronted with over-exuberant guarding reports have sought balance seeking a second opinion or by
separating the investigation providers from the solution providers. A list of guarding practitioners is now available on
the MESNZ website. The MESNZ Guarding Practitioner list www.mesnz.org.nz/resources/health-safety/guard-experts/ is steadily being populated as the profile increases. The list is open to guarding consultants, experts and solution
providers and is intended to provide a first point of reference for business operators looking for guidance or solutions
on the topic.
ENDS