Blitz figures shine in a dark year for workplace death

Monday 6 July 1998

Labour Minister Max Bradford today released the result of the construction blitz undertaken by the Labour Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH), calling on industry to take greater heed of their moral and legal responsibilities in the wake of a higher workplace fatality rate.

"The death of 56 New Zealand workers in the past 12 months is a distress call to employers, employees, and industry groups to work with OSH to reduce this tragic and shameful figure," Mr Bradford said.

"The fatalities in the three highest risk industries of forestry, farming and construction have together matched the total of all deaths in the prior 1996/97 period. I am particularly concerned about the fatality rate in construction which has jumped 70 per cent in the last year."

In response to this concern, the Minister of Labour ordered OSH to undertake a safety blitz of New Zealand’s construction sites over a two-week period in May. During this period, OSH field staff:

• visited 1,895 construction sites, including 1,064 residential construction sites and 669 commercial construction sites;
• delivered information on fall protection, and general health and safety issues, to 90% of these sites;
• identified 376 (19.8%) workplaces where falls from heights were a potential hazard;
• observed that 672 workplaces had fall protection equipment or procedures in place;
• identified 384 (20.2%) workplaces where ‘dangerous practices’ were observed;
• issued 91 improvement notices and 52 prohibition notices; and
• are currently considering a number of prosecutions

"Given these results, I have asked OSH to explore a number of construction industry initiatives. These will include the possible introduction of "spot fines" of both employers and employees, which overseas have proven to be a credible and timely deterrent with more offences being penalised," said Mr Bradford.

"Other initiatives to be considered will be targeted information campaigns with more accessible guidance material, and strategies to increase the chance of detection of unsafe workplaces and practices."

"OSH has already committed to target the other high risk industries for the coming 12 months with strategies aimed at agriculture, forestry and the pan-industry use of hazardous substances."

Mr Bradford stressed that not only did workplace death have tragically high costs in human terms, but that the financial cost of workplace death should also come as sobering news to all industry.

"Workplace deaths are estimated to cost New Zealand around $150 million a year," Mr Bradford said.

"The tragic social cost, coupled with this financial burden shows why the Government urges all involved in the workplace such as principals, developers, contractors, employers, the self-employed and employees be proactive in avoiding workplace accidents and injuries."

"It can never be said too often that one death is one to many. Together we can get the death rate down to zero," said Mr Bradford.