Regulatory review aims to understand and meet the needs of businesses

6 October 2006

The Department of Labour is working with other government agencies to make it easier for businesses to meet their obligations under New Zealand’s health and safety legislation.

Three pieces of legislation focus on health and safety in the workplace: the Health and Safety in Employment (HSE) Act, the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act, and the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation (IPRC) Act.

The agencies that administer and enforce these laws are jointly looking at ways of improving the interface between the legislative requirements, so that they don’t get in the way of doing business, Department Workplace Deputy Secretary Andrew Annakin said.

The project, between the Department, ACC, ERMA and the Ministry for the Environment, is about finding out what works best for businesses that have to follow these three pieces of law, particularly small businesses, Mr Annakin said.

“We want to hear about any concerns or issues businesses have with the interface of the legislation, in order to help us make improvements.

“The project is not about reviewing the intent of the various pieces of legislation, but on making practical improvements to the way the laws are implemented jointly.”

Mr Annakin said the Department wants to hear from businesses, industry groups and employee groups by the end of November 2006. The feedback will help the agencies develop proposals ready for implementation from early 2007.

“This is a chance for businesses to tell us the areas where the interaction between the three pieces of legislation is most significant, any issues they have with the legislation or where it overlaps, and – most importantly – any potential solutions to the issues of concern,” he said.

“This could be about anything from the kind of supporting material the agencies produce or more transparent enforcement policies, to aligning levies and incentives.”

Mr Annakin said the consultation would be one aspect of the project, with agencies also reviewing their own processes to look for areas for improvement. The project is part of the Government’s review of regulatory frameworks, which is intent on reducing obstacles for businesses and ensuring regulation doesn’t get in the way of doing business.

Contributions to the HSE/HSNO/IPRC Act review can be directed to Emma Doust, Workplace Policy Group, Department of Labour, PO Box 3705, Wellington or emma.doust@dol.govt.nz

To the journalist: please note that health and safety services formerly referred to as Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) should now be referred to as the Department of Labour.