Explosive start to HSNO!

Thursday 21 August 2003

A display including pyrotechnics, ammunition and blasting explosives will be part of a workshop for handling explosives today. The workshop held by, Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH) and the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA New Zealand), will introduce people to the rules that will govern explosives from next week.

On August 28 explosives will become the first group of hazardous substances to be transferred to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) regime from the Explosives Act 1957.

HSNO is a new law to manage hazardous substances. The Act replaces a multitude of laws such as the Explosives, Dangerous Goods, Toxic Substances and Pesticides Acts and pulls together the management of hazardous substances into one comprehensive Act.

The HSNO Act commenced for hazardous substances on 2 July 2001. A transitional period of up to 5 years was put in place within which to progressively transfer existing substances to the Act and to keep existing regulatory regimes in place until transfer has occurred.

ERMA New Zealand is a crown entity set up to implement the Act and OSH is the enforcement agency that enforces the safe management of hazardous substances at places of work.

An event to launch this transfer is planned on the 28 August at the Portrait Gallery from 5.30pm. Hon Marian Hobbs, Minister for the Environment will be present to celebrate the first groups of substances to be transferred to the HSNO regime.

For background information on the transfer project visit the ERMA New Zealand website at www.ermanz.govt.nz .

The display, which will be held at Trentham military camp firing range at 3pm, provides a good photo opportunity.