OSH construction blitz for Northland

Wednesday 02 May 2001

A team of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) inspectors will be travelling throughout Northland this month, visiting construction sites after a number of serious accidents.

"We are concerned about the increase in serious accidents to workers occurring on construction sites in New Zealand," said Richard Willis, Service Manager of OSH Northland.

"24 workers have been killed on New Zealand construction sites during the twenty-one months ending 30 March 2001. Thirteen of these people have died after falling from height.

"Two Northland construction workers were amongst those who died as a result of a fall from height during this period."

The inspectors will be visiting construction sites north of Auckland up to Kaitaia from the 8 May 2001. OSH, which is a service of the Department of Labour, will visit residential, commercial and civil sites throughout the area.

The visits are to make sure contractors are meeting their obligations towards their staff’s safety, and where they are not doing so, to require improvements to be made.

"We are working hard to raise health and safety compliance levels within the construction industry," said Mr Willis.

"The program has the support of the construction industry as it is a consistent application of the Health and Safety in Employment Act and regulations. It supports the concept of a level playing field for those engaged in this work.

"When people go to work, they don’t expect to receive a serious injury or worse. It is OSH’s role to ensure that employers have the same expectation."