2 October 2006
Hon Ruth Dyson Minister for ACC
Public consultation on Schedule 2 begins
Ruth Dyson, Minister for ACC today announced a public consultation process to determine whether up to 25 more
occupational diseases should be added to Schedule 2.
In March this year the Ministerial Advisory Panel on Work Related Gradual Process, Disease or Infection recommended an
update to Schedule 2 of the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation (IPRC) Act 2001. The Minister will take
the public feedback from this consultation process to add to expert recommendations already received to update Schedule
2 by December this year.
Schedule 2 lists specific work-related diseases and the substances known to cause them. It removes the requirement for a
claimant to prove the causal link between their condition and their exposure during employment. If the disease and cause
that the person is diagnosed with is on the Schedule, ACC is able to presume it was caused by exposure in the workplace,
and give claimants cover for the condition.
"As medical knowledge improves, the Schedule needs to be updated to include other diseases which have also been found to
have a causal link to employment," says Ruth Dyson.
"This public consultation document will be of interest to employer groups, unions, claimants, health professionals and
anyone with an involvement in occupational health."
"By formally recognising these diseases through Schedule 2 it also raises public awareness about the help available from
ACC to New Zealanders who develop an occupational disease and makes it simpler for them to get help. I hope it will also
lead to greater occupational disease prevention."
The public consultation document aims to add up to 25 additional diseases and causal agents to the current list of 17 on
Schedule 2. The list has not been updated since 2002.
Among the new diseases and causes which have been proposed, include Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome diagnosed as caused by
hand and/or arm vibration, sino-nasal carcinoma diagnosed as caused by working with wood dust and naso-pharyngeal
carcinoma diagnosed as caused by formaldehyde.
The proposed addition of 25 diseases is likely to lead to a small increase in employer and self-employed costs and
levies of no more than 1 cent per $100 of liable earnings. It is estimated to increase scheme costs by up to $7 million
per year in total.
The deadline for submissions is 5.00pm 31 October 2006.
The submission document is available on the Department of Labour website www.dol.govt.nz and the ACC website
www.acc.co.nz or by emailing info@dol.govt.nz with "Review of Schedule 2" in the subject line.
Background
In general, ACC does not cover injuries that are caused by disease, infection or illnesses that result from exposure to
a causal agent over a period of time (also known as gradual process), unless they are directly linked to a person's
employment.
Under ACC legislation injuries caused by work-related gradual process, disease or infection are covered if they meet
specific criteria:
Firstly there must be an injury that is defined in section 26 (this can be an occupational disease)
Secondly there must be a causal link between the injury and the person's employment
People who have been diagnosed with a disease listed in Schedule 2 are able to use a more streamlined system for
establishing ACC cover. If a person has a disease caused by exposure to a listed substance, ACC can only decline cover
if it establishes that the disease is caused by factors other than work.
ENDS