01 Sep The 2017 Hazardous Substances Regulations
On the 1st of December 2017, the new Hazardous Substances Regulations will come into force. The emphasis of these new regulations will be on the application and management of hazardous substances in the workplace, applying risk management practices and the importance of training and informing all workers who use hazardous substances.
The focus of these regulations will be on the storage, training of employees, the handling of hazardous substances tracking, and what’s changing for people who test and inspect gas cylinders. You’ll also find information about storing and tracking hazardous substances.
For further information, go to https://worksafe.govt.nz/managing-health-and-safety/getting-started/mythbusting-and-faqs/
The roles of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and WorkSafe NZ (WSNZ)
EPA and WorkSafe NZ
The hazardous substances reforms will bring changes to the roles of both these government bodies. The EPA will continue to have responsibility for approving and classifying hazardous substances, while WorkSafe will administer and enforce workplace requirements provided in the Regulations.
The EPA
The EPA will focus on ‘upstream’ activities under the 1996 HSNO Act – it will continue to receive applications for approval to import or manufacture new hazardous substances, assess the risks, and decide whether the substances should be approved for use in New Zealand. It will continue to be responsible for setting the rules for classification, labelling, safety data sheets, packaging and disposal, as well as for protecting the environment and public health.
WorkSafe NZ
Under the 2015 Health and Safety at Work Act (HSW), WorkSafe will focus on the ‘downstream’ use, storage and handling of hazardous substances in workplaces. Under HSNO, WorkSafe will enforce the ecotoxic and disposal requirements in the workplace.