Families deserve some answers

Long hours in very tough conditions.

The forestry industry-led inquiry into forestry deaths in New Zealand is now under way after 10 lives were lost in forestry-related accidents last year.

The six-month review will be funded by forest owners, forest industry contractors and farm forestry associations and will liaise with the governmental health and safety regulator, WorkSafe NZ.

We welcome this investigation, but our preference was for a ministerial-led inquiry. We believe this would have provided more assurance for workers and their families and led to more responsibility back to the Government to ensure that changes are made to end the needless loss of life. However, we still hold high expectations for this inquiry - because we believe that the grieving families who have lost loved ones through workplace accidents deserve answers.

Over the past two years, 16 forestry workers have died as a result of accidents at work in New Zealand. That's nearly one life every six or seven weeks. These are shocking statistics. They are unnecessary and they must stop.

Many of these workers are Maori - their fathers, grandfathers and uncles worked in forestry. They are a part of the forestry whanau who are now paying the highest price under often unpleasant and dangerous working conditions.

The culture that exists in the forestry industry for those on the ground has developed from the harsh working conditions endured by workers felling trees since early times. Over time workers learn to accept their working conditions - some will not question their rights and others learn not to expect better.

Tea and coffee-making facilities are rare and workers take hot food and drink in flasks. There is no lunch room - workers sit in their vehicles on cold days. Toilet facilities in many cases are non-existent, often there is no port-a-loo on site.

The hours are gruelling, starting sometimes at 4am and going through for at least 10 hours - often more - all for an hourly rate of $18. After more than 20 years in the industry, that's all that some of those workers can expect.

Wet, muddy conditions can make the work even more dangerous and broken-down machinery and other unforeseen delays all slow down production, putting pressure on the workers to work longer hours to meet the contractual demands. While there are workplace safety practices in place, they are not always followed.

These are working conditions many of us would not be able to endure for a few months - let alone all our working lives.

Long hours of work, a lack of training among workers, productivity pressure, low wages and inappropriate safety gear and equipment must be addressed in this inquiry. We would expect to see recommendations around regulation and standardised requirements for contractors as well as a commitment to minimum standards of employment and justice for the workers' families.

Personal responsibility for health and safety and use of drugs and alcohol should also be examined. The Maori Party will be attempting to advance corporate manslaughter legislation - to ensure that companies take responsibility for dangerous and unsafe working conditions that lead to death.

We also welcome the coronial inquiry that will take place in May and will now analyse at least eight forestry-related deaths to determine the cause and circumstances of each case.

The Council of Trade Unions is providing support to the families, but we believe the Government and industry should be doing more to ensure the families are well resourced and supported with legal representation to enable them to cross-examine under the Coroners Act.

For generations forestry workers have shown much loyalty to the companies and contractors they work for. A robust forestry-led inquiry into workplace deaths is the least we can do.

No stone should be left unturned. We owe it to those who have lost their lives and to their families.