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23 Mar

What's the Difference? Many workplaces use the terms policy and standard operating procedures interchangeably - but they are not the same thing. Understanding the difference matters. When you know whether you need a policy or a standard operating procedure (SOP), you avoid confusion, improve compliance, and make work safer and more consistent. This...
11:56 / Articles
25 Nov

Does the Health and Safety at Work Act mean we can’t have Christmas parties? You can still have Christmas parties! A couple of things to note though: Whether the party is in your workplace or at another venue, you as the host are still responsible, as it is a work function.  Do...
12:35 / Articles / Hints and Tips
12 Nov

A court prosecution mentioned in a recent article is something that all business owners should be aware of, as it has never been previously tested in the courts The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 defined the responsibilities of a PCBU (and the PCBU meaning) and that of the officers...
12:43 / Articles / In The News
12 Nov

Having 20/20 vision (By Gordon Anderson) After reading a recent WorkSafe article about silica dust,  I feel so lucky and privileged. Why? As a young man, I served my apprenticeship as a carpenter, and in those days,  PPE was something that sounded like a disease that one would not like to catch. I...
12:30 / Articles / In The News
14 Oct

It's still early days with the Rugby World Cup 2019 and Hasmate are hoping the All Blacks are there right until the very end! From a business point of view, over this time, there are some things to consider: Some of your employees will be coming to work tired. Yes, they...
14:15 / Articles
14 Oct

We are often asked "what health and safety documents do I need to be compliant with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015?" In short, there is no hard and fast solution for any business in any industry. However, we know the importance of documentation.  Whether it's online or on paper. It's...
09:59 / Articles
31 Jul

A few years ago, a family owned business in Christchurch were fined $400,000 for the death of a valued employee, when heavy steel pipes being prepared for shipping slipped and cascaded onto him. The judge said the company had not developed safe work practices for handling the pipes. There was a...
09:04 / Articles
30 Jul

I first wrote the following article in March 2011. With mental health now being recognised as a prime workplace and health issue, I thought it would be pertinent to revisit this subject that is ever increasing to make the headlines. 47% of New Zealanders will experience a mental disorder such as...
10:02 / Articles
08 Jul

In the arena of health and safety in New Zealand, we are swamped with acronyms and abbreviations, that to many are meaningless, and to some, confusing. An example of this are the term JSA,  SSSP, SWMS, JSEA and others. These translate to the following: a JSA is a Job Safety Analysis; ...
11:06 / Articles
30 May

Does having safe operating procedures in your workplace equal engagement and understanding by your employees? I wish the answer was yes, but it’s definitely not. It is recommended (but not a legal requirement) for a business to have documented processes and procedures about how they are to safely use equipment, machinery, chemicals,...
10:36 / Articles / Hints and Tips