Media Releases
Department of Labour appoints chief advisor for occupational health
3 February 2006
Dr Geraint Emrys has been appointed as the Department of Labour’s chief advisor for occupational health.
Welsh-born Dr Emrys, 45, has specialised in occupational health for the past 15 years. He has lived and worked in New Zealand since 1998, including positions as medical advisor for the Waikato District Health Board and as part-time medical practitioner for the Department. He has also operated his own consultancy, Well at Work Ltd, and is a director of Occupational Medicine Specialists Ltd.
The Department of Labour created the chief advisor, occupational health position last year - strengthening its commitment to improve occupational health and safety services. Group manager for workplace professional and specialist services Maarten Quivooy said occupational health was a key priority for the Department.
“Historically, both in New Zealand and overseas, occupational safety has been dealt with more effectively than occupational health, because injuries are more immediate and their link to work activity is generally clear-cut,” Mr Quivooy said.
“But we now know that around 700-1000 New Zealanders die prematurely of work-related illness and disease with a further 20,000 new cases being diagnosed each year compared to around 100 people who die from occupational injury.
“The challenge for us, and for workplaces, is to act more effectively on occupational health. The creation of the chief advisor, occupational health position, plus strengthening our overall knowledge-base into occupational health, will allow us to be more effective than we have in the past.”
Dr Emrys, who takes up the three-year appointment in Wellington on 1 March, said the challenge of finding practical ways to identify and reduce occupational risk factors that contributed to illness and injury was part of the job’s appeal.
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.
ENDS
Dr Geraint Emrys.
