Hon Simon Bridges
Minister of Labour

30 April 2013

Minister welcomes report on health and safety

Labour Minister Simon Bridges has today welcomed the report of the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety.

“The Government established the Independent Taskforce last June to advise us on possible ways to meet our goal of reducing the rate of fatalities and serious injuries in the workplace by at least 25 per cent by 2020. The tragedy at Pike River was a major catalyst for this work,” says Mr Bridges.

“I would like to thank Taskforce chair Rob Jager and Taskforce members for their thorough and comprehensive work which is the first major review of workplace health and safety in 20 years.

“We know – and the Taskforce process has confirmed – that we need to refresh and recalibrate how we manage and embed good health and safety practices in our workplaces.

“We all need to do more, and do it better, to make sure New Zealanders are protected from injury and death when they go to work each day,” Mr Bridges says.

“The Taskforce’s report provides us with a solid foundation and constructive recommendations for system-wide changes which the Government will now consider.

“The Government has already accepted the Taskforce’s early recommendation for a new stand-alone health and safety agency. We will respond in detail to the rest of the recommendations by July, once we have had a chance to systematically chart our next steps,” Mr Bridges says.

To view Independent Taskforce report: www.hstaskforce.govt.nz

ENDS

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