Expert troubled by safety law changes

Hawke's Bay organisations are mixed in their reactions to the proposed Health and Safety Reform Bill. Photo / File

Businesses are vulnerable under the proposed Health and Safety Reform Bill because, while they are liable for workplace accidents, there is little to ensure safety practices, says a Hawke's Bay health and safety consultant.

The transport and industrial relations committee's report, has recommended to Parliament that in low-risk businesses with fewer than 20 employees a health and safety representative should be voluntary.

About 95 per cent of New Zealand businesses employ 20 or fewer people.

The bill originally intended that all businesses should have a health and safety representative. The committee's report recommends businesses could veto a worker request for a representative.

"I would like to think most businesses would listen to their staff but that's not the reality," Hasmate director Gordon Anderson said.

He said the bill was a step in the right direction but, while there was a lot of training available for employees, there was little for the business manager. If the Government was serious about making the law work it would make manager training mandatory.

"I'm finding one a week - some big companies - that have done nothing.

"There are some that have stuff on a shelf but the biggest issue is they don't understand it.

"I take my hat off to John Key - they have set a goal of 25 per cent reduction by 2020.

"That is good but the travesty is if we don't get together as a nation there are 600-odd families that are still going to lose somebody every year in the next five years."

He said New Zealand's work fatality rate per head of population was six times greater than Great Britain's, twice Australia's and five times Canada's.

"I think the wrath of the bill is going to be felt when the prosecutions start hitting home," he said.

Hawea Farms owner Hugh Pearse, who organised a public meeting of farmers earlier this month to combat what it saw as over-the-top health and safety regulations, said he was pleased with the report and that farmers were not responsible for unauthorised access to their land "but we still need to address passengers on quad bikes".

"We are not anti-health and safety - that is the last thing we are," he said.

"Everyone wants to come home at night - they don't want to be hung-up on the farm dead.

"It is the nature of the industry.

"There will always be accidents and we need to minimise as many as we can."

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union Hawke's Bay organiser Norm Mouritsen said it was concerned a handful of employers had undue influence on the legislation.

"Every worker has the right to be safe - to come home.

"It doesn't matter the size of the employer.

"It's just a bloody joke. Once again, the Government talks the talk about preventing injuries but just won't walk the walk."

Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce chief executive Wayne Walford said businesses were enjoying lower ACC levies due to stronger health and safety behaviours.