OSH construction blitz in Queenstown shows disappointing results

Tuesday 15 May 2001

Occupational Safety and Health Service inspectors visited 16 construction sites in Queenstown last week.

During the visits part of a major site had all work halted because of safety concerns.

"Our inspectors were disappointed with the state of Health and Safety management found at construction sites in Queenstown," said John Pannett, Service Manager of OSH Southland.

"This is really worrying, as the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 has been law for some eight years and still some employers are not meeting their obligations to that law and to their workers."

Eighty-nine Improvement Notices were issued requiring changes to be made in the way work was being undertaken to make it safer.

Eight Prohibition Notices were issued. These notices prohibit work from continuing until some aspect of the work that is likely to cause serious harm to employees is corrected.

"In general, the major concerns were with contracting firms from outside Queenstown who were failing to meet their responsibilities," said Mr Pannett.

"If significant improvements are not evident on our follow-up visits from 19 to 22 June 2001, we will have little option but to initiate enforcement action on some employers.

"Safety is not a matter of chance, it is something that employees and their families have a right to expect from their employers."