Christmas is almost upon us, and we’re all eager to have a bit of a rest, recharge, and spend quality time with our families. As we wind up 2023, it is a demanding time as we try to complete jobs before the Christmas shutdown. This can make it tempting to take shortcuts, however, it can also lead to an increase in incidents, with the last two months of the year seeing a spike in workplace incidents.
Common factors can include time pressure, working in the heat, and fatigue. It’s important that we all keep the health, safety, and well-being of workers first, especially at this time of year.
It is important to start preparing for the Christmas shutdown so that you don’t have any interruptions during your break or come to a nasty surprise on your first day back.
Unsecured areas could be hazardous to members of the public, especially children. Children are unaware of the dangers so keeping them out and away from harm is key.
Being safe and secure is more than just locking the gates. Ask yourself the following questions:
Are dangerous areas fenced off from the public and the boundary secure?
Make sure the area is securely fenced and all entrances are locked. Ensure your fencing is a sufficient height, at least 2m.
Is clear signage present to warn people of danger?
Make sure your Hazard Board is up to date listing the current hazards and your contact details are clearly visible in case something does pop up you can be contacted quickly. If you need to order a Project for your job this can be done through the HazardCo HUB
Have steps been taken to prevent any unauthorised access, e.g. are all ladders removed or their rungs boarded so they can’t be used?
Remove any temptation to access hazardous areas. Where practical, remove all ladders, equipment and machinery from the site wherever possible, including scaffolding and excavation ladders, or block access.
Are excavations and openings securely covered, fenced off, or backfilled?
Cover and fence off any excavations to prevent potential falls. Where practical backfilling excavations are recommended.
Is all plant immobilised to prevent unauthorised use?
If you are unable to remove your vehicles or plant from the area, make sure it is left securely, preferably out of sight, with the keys removed.
Are materials safely stacked and secured?
Ensure materials are safely stacked and stored so they can’t topple or be knocked over.
Are all flammable or dangerous substances locked away in secure storage places?
Lock up your hazardous substances in secure storage appropriate for the type of substances being stored. Where possible remove hazardous substances from the site.
Are temporary structures stable and able to withstand bad weather conditions?
Check any temporary structures such as scaffolding and barriers to ensure they are secure and stable. Taking into consideration the changing weather.
Has the mains power been switched off?
Make sure wherever possible, temporary or mains power supply and switchboards are switched off and locked out.
Do unwanted materials and waste need to be removed?
A quick clean-up can make a big difference. Make sure you remove all waste and empty skip bins.
Doing a Site Review on the HazardCo app on the last day, before you lock up will ensure you haven’t missed out on anything. Completing one when you return back to site gives you the opportunity to pick any additional hazards that may have occurred while away.
Although not recommended, if you do have lone workers on-site over the Christmas break ensure you have a lone worker policy in place. Key points are setting up regular check-ins, have a first aid kit on hand, a trained first aider and don’t carry out any high-risk work alone. See our Lone Worker article for more details.
In higher risk areas you may want to consider organising security to do regular patrols.
Taking the time to prepare for the Christmas Shutdown can help to make sure you get to spend your holiday uninterrupted with your family and friends.
As always if you have any questions or would like to discuss your Health and Safety please give our Advisory team a call on 0800 555 339.
It’s no secret being a tradie is a very physically and mentally demanding job. With long workdays and weeks placing the body under intense physical and mental strain.
Worker fatigue is one of the biggest hazards on-site. Fatigue can come in many different forms and be caused by a number of different factors. While fatigue may not be avoidable in today’s busy cycle, it is important we recognise the signs of fatigue and steps to reduce it.
Because at the end of the day, a tired worker is a dangerous worker.
When you’re fatigued, you’re less alert and aware of your environment. This can lead to increased risk of errors resulting in injuries or incidents on-site.
On-site it’s both the individuals and the employers responsibility to recognise and reduce worker fatigue.
As an employer on-site you are required to provide a safe working environment, and reducing fatigue is included. Here are a few strategies for ensuring everyone stays fresh.
Workers are also personally responsible for turning up every day in the best mental and physical conditions possible, so that what they do on-site doesn’t affect the health and safety of others. Workers should:
Our bodies operate differently during the cooler and warmer months. During winter, fatigue levels tend to increase. With the colder temperatures, longer nights and reduced sunlight, our bodies naturally tend to shut down earlier in the day. During summer, we benefit a lot from longer days and more sunlight, however we need to consider fatigue due to hot weather and maintaining our hydration levels.
Fatigue is something that we all face in our busy work lives and is often unavoidable. However, it is critical we can recognise the signs of fatigue in ourselves or someone on-site.
By being able to recognise the signs and take the necessary steps to help is the best way to reduce fatigue-related problems on-site. If you have any questions don’t forget to reach out to the HazardCo team
Given how close we are to our neighbours over the ditch, we compare ourselves to Australia in almost every aspect. From sports and culture to economics and lifestyle, we like to think we can keep up with our big brother and show them a thing or two. However, the stark difference in workplace safety and our fatality rate, in particular, is a wake-up call for everyone working in high-risk industries.
On average, there are 73 work-related deaths in New Zealand each year. Relative to the number of people in employment, the NZ workplace fatality rate is double the Australian rate and hasn’t shifted in many years. The NZ rate is similar to those the UK experienced back in the 1980s, making it very clear there is significant room for improvement.
The gap between New Zealand and Australia is consistent across most industries and occupations. Looking at just the construction industry, the NZ fatality rate is 4.41 workers in every 100,000 compared to 2.93 workers in every 100,000 in Australia.
Our workplace injury rates tell a similar story. NZ injury rates reported by ACC have improved over time, however, the Australian rate is 25% lower, and the UK is 45% lower.
Behind these statistics are real people, with families and friends dealing with unimaginable loss when their loved one never returns from work. There is also a very real economic impact, with New Zealand’s workplace accidents and deaths costing the country $4.4 billion. If we could improve our workplace safety performance to match that of Australia, we would reduce costs by nearly $1 billion each year. With 137,939 people out of work in 2022 and receiving weekly compensation from ACC, our high injury rate is also contributing to labour shortage issues.
The 2023 State of a Thriving Nation report says that experts have identified “several factors generate more heat in the system overseas.” For example, in both Australia and the UK, the regulatory environment sets clearer expectations and is firm with enforcement. Australia also has more active trade unions and invests more in new technology.
New Zealand’s workplace fatality statistics are a wake-up call for everyone working in the construction industry, an area that accounts for a large proportion of all fatalities.
The best way to reduce fatalities is to Plan, Do, Check, Act. Focus on the risks on-site which could cause a fatality or a life-altering injury. They are the ones that you want to manage first. Remember, managing risks is more than just using PPE or putting in an administration control.
Looking at NZ construction industry safety statistics over the last five years, the areas that contribute to the greatest number of fatalities are;
These are areas of greatest risk and therefore the areas that should be monitored and reviewed most closely.
The construction industry has additional H&S challenges arising from the volume of contractors and subcontractors from various specialties that must work together on a single site or project. This was reflected in our 2023 member survey where just 66% of building companies agreed that “workers on site (including contractors) are reliable at following H&S procedures and managing/recording H&S where applicable.”
When it comes to how to improve safety engagement with workers and contractors on site, Evette McClure, H&S Advisory & Customer Support Lead at HazardCo says, “When you break it down, ensuring safety on-site can actually be quite simple – it all comes down to communication. Communication is at the heart of all important safety procedures, and it’s the foundation of effective safety management.”
“Good communication creates a culture where everyone is aware and works together. It makes it easier for people to raise concerns and find solutions. In the end, having a culture of strong communication is vital for preventing incidents and keeping everyone safe on the construction site. Just remember, as with anything, it all starts with you. You need to lead by example, start conversations, work together, and create an environment where everyone feels encouraged to participate. You need to be the one to make the change, because if you don’t, nobody else will.”
Although the comparison of workplace safety between New Zealand and Australia is concerning, it shows us that we can and should work to improve our workplace fatality statistics.
We have previously shared content on what to expect when your workplace is inspected by WorkSafe/SafeWork. Now – what happens in the event that your business has received a Regulator’s Notice from WorkSafe?
If the inspector does find an issue, you and the inspector will discuss what needs to be done to fix it. The three main outcomes issued by the inspector are an improvement notice, a prohibition notice or an infringement notice.
We’ve put together our top recommendations on what you can do after receiving a regulator notice.
Carefully read the notice and follow all the instructions listed in the notice. This is particularly crucial if it’s a prohibition notice, as it means certain work must be stopped immediately. Work is not to continue until the Inspector is satisfied certain action has been taken to make the activity/area safe.
Make sure the site entry report and associated notice/s are provided to the Director/ Owner of the Business. We also recommend sharing the notice with other project sites /areas of the business so that they can assess their area to see if similar issues are present or where there is room for improvement. This is a great way to improve health and safety across all areas and sites of the business and to demonstrate Health and Safety is a top priority for all.
Bring the notice to the attention of all persons whose work is affected by the notice (e.g. conduct a toolbox talk and record it in the HazardCo app). Discuss how the business will address the items and by when. We recommend you provide regular updates to the workers on this matter. If you have any Health and Safety Representative (HSRs) who represents workers whose work is affected by the notice, make sure a copy is provided to them.
Make sure a copy of the notice is put up and displayed in a prominent place at or near the part of the workplace where the affected work is being performed (and we recommend you communicate to workers where this can be located).
Promptly discuss with relevant suitable persons who will be involved in addressing the notice (e.g. conduct a meeting with management, supervisors etc) and prepare an action plan to address all items that have been highlighted in the notice. Regularly track action items for timely closeout.
Ensure you document and record discussions, meetings, and agreed actions. Record and track health and safety actions by creating and assigning tasks on the HazardCo Hub or on the App.
Collate all the evidence requested by the notice that will demonstrate you have addressed all the items listed and provide it to the Inspector prior to the due date for their review.
Remember HazardCo is here to help. Give us a call on 0800 555 339 and speak to our Health and Safety Advisory support team for further guidance.
Common incidents on-site: The more often you are exposed to a risk, the less your brain perceives the significance of the risk. The level of risk has not changed. Remember how your first time on a busy worksite felt, all those things going on around you. That level of danger is still there. As you have become constantly exposed to it your mind starts to ignore things it thinks are no longer relevant so you have to consciously pay attention to the ever-changing worksite environment. This is how many of the common injuries happen, the brain switches off and you go into ‘autopilot’.
Hit body on object – corrective actions and recommendations
Manual handling – corrective actions and recommendations
Staple/nail gun – corrective actions and recommendations
Hand Tools – corrective actions and recommendations
Slip/Trips – corrective actions and recommendations
Of course, reach out to HazardCo and speak to one of our expert Health and Safety Advisors if you have any questions or need more support on ways to combat common incidents on-site. You can contact us on 0800 555 339.
Timber frame standing and truss erection can be back-breaking work! It is often high risk work with some serious potential injuries. We recommend these three steps are completed prior to every install. And ensure that everyone understands the process and their role, from when frames and trusses arrive on-site all the way through to standing.
Here are 3 recommendations to ensure that your site is safer during the arrival and installation of frames and trusses:
The development of Risk Assessments and Task Analysis are crucial to your workers to ensure their safety throughout the build. To make these processes easy, you can complete these on the HazardCo App.
Some things to think about when creating a Risk Assessment for frame and truss delivery and erection are:
Is the work area secure?
Clients, visitors, and members of the public cannot enter the area and workers are aware that they should only enter if they are required for the tasks.
Have all site inductions been carried out and an emergency plan developed for any at height work?
Have all workers who work at height been trained to do so? Is access to height suitable and is fall protection in place?
Have all workers been provided with the correct PPE? Are all tools and equipment available and in suitable working order for the task?
The purpose of a Task Analysis is to go into detail for each of the tasks to be carried out. Thinking about the hazards at each step and how they can be appropriately controlled.
You should think about:
The results from the Risk Assessment, Task Analysis, and control measures should be discussed with all workers prior to work starting.
On paper, this sounds like a lot of work – but it is made simple by using the HazardCo App, and creating Task Analysis templates that you can save as templates and amend again and again. You’re not having to start from the beginning for tasks that you complete regularly. Do remember to check over your templates before approving them as different sites can present different hazards that you don’t want to miss (overhead power lines as an example).
When working at height, either on a second story or setting trusses you need to ensure that your workers are safe, not just from falling, but from tools, equipment, or product falling too.
Scaffolding
Once the lower level frames have been stood/braced appropriately, safe working platforms should be installed such as scaffolding. Scaffolding over 5m should be erected by a trained and competent person and all scaffolding should be checked by a competent person regularly.
Edge protection
If the potential of a fall cannot be eliminated when working on a roof, some form of edge protection should be used to isolate workers from a fall. This includes working on single-story buildings and structures. Using the existing scaffolding as edge protection is often the simplest solution. If this is not practicable, then elevating work platforms or temporary work platforms should be used. Toe boards should be fixed to temporary edge protection as a way of containing all materials, including debris and loose tools.
Safety netting
Safety netting can be installed to protect workers, tools, and equipment from falling.
Only safety netting that has been installed correctly can be relied on to support the weight of a worker so that it can resist the force of a person falling onto it. Tests for UV deterioration of safety nets must be done at least every 12 months and a current test label must be displayed on all safety nets older than 12 months.
Worksite traffic can be a major cause of harm on work sites. When it’s close to having your frames and trusses delivered to site and you’re considering dates with the delivery company, it is essential to communicate the traffic management plan with them. This provides the company and drivers involved with a clear picture of how the site has been structured and can assist the delivery company in selecting the correct sized vehicle for the delivery, taking into account the site size and structure.
Ensuring that you implement the above can prevent many injuries on site, as well as regular toolboxes, making plans for ‘what if’ situations (rescue plans) and discussing these with your workers to keep them alert so they’ll know what to do if an incident occurs on-site. For some useful information on the safe installation of roof trusses please view this resource from WorkSafe
Below you will find guidance on what to do in the event of an attack or site emergency involving an assault or an armed offender, including some practical advice on minimising the chances of an attack on-site.
Check:
Speak Up:
Ensure:
It’s important to be aware of Critical Incident Stress (CIS)
A “critical incident” is an event that can be so emotionally intense that it can be hard to handle using our usual ways of coping. These could include situations like a sudden death, serious injury, or a physical or psychological threat to the safety or well-being of an individual, workplace or community regardless of the type of incident.
Typical symptoms of Critical Incident Stress include:
There are some techniques and professional assistance you can reach out for:
Informal debrief with peers post-event:
This can be done with supervisors, senior team members, or just work colleagues. Try and assess those team members who may need further support. Keep assistance within your training, and reassure colleagues that support is there for them with the provision of support numbers or how to access EAP services if available.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
EAP Services provides brief, solution focused support, to help workers deal with any difficulties they may be experiencing and to minimise the impact on their life. Counselling is available via video, over the phone or face to face. It’s important for employers to ensure that they have EAP services organised for their employees before an incident occurs.
Seek professional assistance to help you run a Crisis Management Briefing (CMB)
A Crisis Management Briefing (CMB) is one of the most highly utilised and versatile crisis intervention techniques. A CMB is a structured group meeting designed to provide information about the event.
Critical Incident Peer Support Groups use CMB’s as a way to share education about typical stress reactions and to provide information about basic stress management and coping techniques and resources.
Seek professional assistance and run a Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD)
Following trauma exposure, an individual can experience multiple emotional, mental, and physical symptoms that impact their well-being. CISD is a practice that allows survivors to process and reflect on the traumatic events they’ve experienced and gain personal control over the incident.
Helplines that could be useful:
Reinforcing steel can be used in many ways on a building site. Terms commonly used are rebars or waratahs. They are steel bars or mesh wires used to support walls, concrete, or other stone structures.
Workers can fall on the protruding bars which can result in deep lacerations or even life-threatening injuries, so it’s important that preventive measures are in place to reduce the risks.
Some of the hazards include;
Safety Caps
Safety caps are made of plastic so they are a cost-effective way of covering the protruding steel rods. Even though they are small, the safety caps effectively protect against injuries and potential impalement.
Their bright fluorescent colour increases visibility which lessens the chance of the worker walking into, or tripping over them by accident. They are also cost effective, quick and easy to install.
Control access
In addition to using safety caps, access should be restricted to areas where there are protruding ends.
Injuries can happen when workers are not paying attention to the hazards around them, so ensure that your workers are aware of their surroundings, or physically prevent them from entering the area altogether by using barricades or tape to control access to those areas with hazards.
Keep a clean and tidy site
Ensure that you have a clean and tidy worksite. Gather and remove debris to keep the site free from scraps, and potential trip hazards.
Reinforcing steel scraps lying unattended can rust and pose a safety risk for workers, therefore, make sure you arrange prompt and proper disposal of the scrap materials.
PPE
PPE for people working with reinforcing steel may include;
Best Practices
Construction can be dangerous. There are hazards in all worksites, which can result in life-threatening injuries. Carry out regular site reviews using the HazardCo App to ensure that hazards presented by reinforced steel are correctly controlled.
Of course, reach out to HazardCo and speak to one of our Health and Safety experts if you have any questions or need more support on avoiding reinforcing steel hazards.
Asbestos related diseases is New Zealand’s number one work-related killer. Approximately 220 people die each year from preventable asbestos-related disease.
We’d like to give you some basic information on the dangers of asbestos, where it can be found and what you can do to avoid it.
There are two types of asbestos:
Inhaling asbestos fibres can cause a range of irreversible damage and diseases.
One of the most common asbestos related diseases is asbestosis. This causes severe scarring of the inner lung tissue. People usually have pain and severe difficulty breathing. Although this isn’t directly fatal in itself, it can lead to respiratory or heart failure.
Damage from asbestos may occur in as little as five years, or take as long as 40-50 years after exposure for symptoms to appear. Unfortunately, many people do not realise they have been exposed until it’s too late.
It is vital you don’t attempt to remove asbestos yourself, unless you are trained, certified where required, and fully competent – we cannot stress the importance of this enough!
If you’re planning to renovate or partially demolish a building, have a survey done first to identify if Asbestos Containing Material is present. If it is, contact your local asbestos removalist.
Any building constructed up until the year 2000 has a high probability of containing asbestos. View the posters created by WorkSafe on locations where Asbestos can be found on industrial and residential buildings. It is useful to familierise yourself and your workers with the areas relevant to your work. If it is not expected that asbestos would be present and you see unidentified asbestos while working, stop work immediately and arrange for an assessment of the Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) to be carried out.
Yes, there is. Disposal must meet strict guidelines. Bagging and wrapping asbestos pieces is essential in any sort of removal – and dumping asbestos-containing materials can only be done in authorised locations. It is important to check with your local council for specific disposal locations and requirements. Wherever possible, leave this to the asbestos specialists.
Removal of ACM greater than 10m² can only be performed by a licensed removalist. Clearance certificates are documented records of the removal and correct disposal. Keep these records on-hand with the other site documentation.
Recognition means everything when it comes to asbestos, signage on-site, equipping your team with knowledge of asbestos dangers, using the HazardCo App to assess risks, and educating your workers could be the difference between life and death.
For additional education and training on Asbestos we have partnered with two training providers, Safety N Action and BeSafe which both provide Asbestos courses. Check out your HazardCo’s Perks and Partners page for further information. There is a course available for whatever your asbestos needs.
What’s more, as a HazardCo customer with a current membership, you’ll get a 10% discount on any courses you undertake through these partners. Just advise them you are a HazardCo customer upon booking.
Remember to also undertake health monitoring for any workers who work with airborne contaminants (such as asbestos or silica dust). See Habit Health a national health monitoring provider – and again, as a HazardCo customer you receive a 10% discount on any services engaged.
HazardCo’s Advisory Team can help with any asbestos questions or other health and safety matters – give us a call on 0800 555 339.
When you have an incident on-site, whether it’s a near miss, an injury, or a work-related illness, you will need to write an incident report.
Incident reports don’t need to be time-consuming, lengthy or use fancy health and safety terms, you just need to describe what happened in your own words so you have a record of the incident. You can use the incident report to help explain what happened to others, such as your direct team on-site, contractors, other Employers, or the Principal Contractor.
An incident report is the process of recording incidents on-site, such as near misses, injuries, illnesses and plant/property damage. It involves documenting all the facts (known so far) related to the incident.
Check out this blog on Managing and reporting incidents at work to learn more about what is considered an incident and why it’s important to report incidents.
Hitting your body on an object is a very common example of an incident. For this incident report example, we will assume someone on site has hit their body on a door frame and injured their shoulder.
Site Location
32 Dropsaw Lane, Wellington 6011
Date of Incident
2nd September 2023
People involved
Joe Hazard (injured)
Sam Small (witness)
Larry Large (witness)
Type of Incident
Near Miss (Something bad almost happened)
✅ Injury (Someone was hurt)
Illness (Word related illness)
Other (Something else happened)
Incident (Damage caused, electric shock, substance leak)
Treatment received
First aid (performed on site)
✅ Medical Centre (Medical treatment required)
Hospital (Admitted for injury or illness)
Unsure (I’m not sure what treatment was given)
None (No treatment required)
Describe what happened – List the facts that are known so far about the incident such as :
*what job or activity was being performed at the time.
*What plant, equipment or tools were being used
*What went wrong
*What was the injury or damage (or the potential)
*What happened immediately after the incident
Joe Hazard was carrying plywood through a doorway on-site when he hit his shoulder on the door frame. Joe felt immediate pain in his left shoulder and struggled to lift his arm above shoulder height. Joe informed Sam Small (Supervisor) immediately and agreed to go to the local medical centre for further assessment
This is an example of a simple incident report, find out more about what good incident reporting looks like.
If you’re a HazardCo member, hit the Report an Incident button in the HazardCo App and follow the guided prompts to record the incident. Your membership includes 24/7 incident support, so if you need some extra help filling in the report, would like advice on if the incident is notifiable to the Regulator, or would just like to chat with an expert about how to communicate the incident to your team, we are here to help!
When you have an incident on-site, writing an incident report is just one action you need to take. Learn more about what to do when you have an incident on site.
