Your rights and Responsibilities in the Workplace - transcript

Every year, too many Pacific Island workers are injured on the job.  Most of these injuries are preventable.

Finauga and Isaac are two of the men behind the statistics.  Their stories show how easily things can go wrong in the workplace and the crucial role we all have to play in health and safety.  Everyone has the right to come home safely to their families.

transcript

0:00:05.38 - During the 1950's the pacific migration arrived on the shores of Aoteroa the Land of the Long White Cloud to pursue their dreams of a better life.

0:00:15.42 - True to their pacific heritage as pioneers pacific island people quickly settle into suburban life.

0:00:22.00 - They enter the kiwi workforce and establish their core values to work hard for a better life and to come home safely to family.

0:00:32.70 - Today pacific islanders are a growing labour force making up seven percent of the New Zealands population with a majority generally employed in the manufacturing industry.

0:00:45.20 - The dream for a better life has become real for pacific island families with success in education and employment.

0:00:57.55 - However for many pacific island people employed in the manufacturing, plant and machinery industries, health and safety is a major concern.

0:01:06.00 - Pacific people have the second highest rate of workplace injuries.

0:01:11.53 - For every 1000 employed full time, over 150 are maimed or injured in the workplace.

0:01:18.34 - Finauga Sau was one of them.

0:01:21.87 - In 2005 Finauga Sau was working as a crane operator in a concrete yard and responsible for training co-workers on site.

0:01:30.37 - One of his closest co-workers, Esera Vivesio, was working with him loading concrete slabs onto trucks.

0:01:36.25 - However, on the morning of May 10, during a routine loading job, something went terribly wrong.

0:01:43.00 - We had twenty panels already moved out

0:01:47.60 - getting ready for our load-outs for our trucks

0:01:52.68 - except the last panel

0:01:57.55 - When I heard the bang, that's all I know

0:02:02.41 - until I open my eyes and I'm already under the steel beam

0:02:09.00 - I look on the top for

0:02:12.94 - the crane is only a piece of ropes is hanging on the crane

0:02:19.30 - but the whole steel beam is just sitting on me

0:02:23.90 - and I don't even see Esera at the time.

0:02:27.24 - Esera was killed instantly and Finauga sustained severe injuries along the side of his body.

0:02:34.91 - The accident should never have happened.

0:02:38.86 - My question to one of the ambulance staff that day was "Where's my mate?"

0:02:48.00 - and all he said to me

0:02:50.09 - "don't worry about your mate. Your mate's all right. But you are the worst."

0:02:53.57 - And when my cousins, the first one, came in hospital while I'm in hospital

0:03:03.66 - and then tell me "Esera's passed away".

0:03:14.73 - Its a very, very sad feeling.

0:03:19.06 - Finauga was concerned about the rope holding the large concrete slab and had approached his supervisor with his concerns.

0:03:26.14 - We all agreed with it was not safe

0:03:30.32 - That's the reason I told the supervisor of the panel factory

0:03:35.03 - "We can't use that crane."

0:03:37.08 - He really wants to keep the production going

0:03:40.62 - And he wants the trucks will come

0:03:43.02 - And he wants to serve the customers in time.

0:03:50.75 - I'm still remember what Esera told me before that day.

0:03:57.59 - "One day someone will die."

0:03:59.90 - Finauga believes that the responsibility for safety in the workplace lies in the hands of both workers and their employers.

0:04:07.27 - If you work as a yardman or a foreman

0:04:13.49 - you are the ones is responsibility looking after the area

0:04:20.22 - make sure its safe

0:04:22.33 - is responsibility of everyone.

0:04:24.97 - Don't do it if it's unsafe or you think you can't do it.

0:04:31.08 - So it doesn't matter who's the boss come around and tell you

0:04:36.66 - or whoever come around and say "the big boss is here

0:04:41.00 - wants you to do something" and you think its not safe for you, so you,

0:04:46.77 - You have to walk away and don't do it.

0:04:52.03 - What employers need to do.

0:04:54.31 - Identify all risks and dangers at work.

0:04:59.01 - Make sure that all workers have the right safety gear

0:05:02.20 - ... and know how to use it.

0:05:06.49 - Train people to do the work safely.

0:05:10.11 - Look into any concerns raised about workplace safety.

0:05:19.61 - In 2002 Isaac Fruean was involved in an horrific accident.

0:05:24.43 - his right arm was crushed severely. To this day Isaac still has difficulty talking about the accident.

0:05:31.09 - The accident been long time but to me, really hard to explain

0:05:40.57 - Isaac's brother was employed at the same site and witnessed the scene.

0:05:44.34 - In that time I know exactly who's in there. I know its by brother because that's the area where he works

0:05:52.69 - In the rolling mill there's some entry. That entry used to guide the bar in, into the rolls.

0:06:00.44 - Isaac believes the accident happened because he was wearing the wrong gloves for the job.

0:06:05.56 - The gloves he was wearing get caught in the rolls. That's how he was pulled in.

0:06:10.95 - When I get there, the first thing I saw on the other side of the roll is a piece of hands and a piece of clothing.

0:06:20.64 - You can see is the blood keep coming out of the hand

0:06:24.04 - The mistake was using the wrong tool, I mean the gears, for the wrong time, yeah.

0:06:33.27 - When they lift him and put him in the ambulance, I jump in the ambulance as well to keep on talking to him to make sure he is still alive because I was worried he might be might loose all of the blood.

0:06:48.84 - and then he said to me "I'm all right"

0:06:52.80 - Everybody think i wont come back to work.

0:06:57.39 - but the main thing I wanted, I want to back to work with my friends, how I show a lot of boys I can do this. I can drive forkhoists plus I can do what a two hands man's job.

0:07:19.04 - The first priority now is safety first

0:07:22.83 - Every Monday morning first thing we have our meeting and discuss any issue of safety.

0:07:30.55 - Company, and companies they spend more money buying all the gears for the right job, right machine

0:07:39.92 - plus they give then the safely, first aid course.

0:07:45.54 - If you see anyone is not doing the right thing, is unsafety practice, everyone has to say something.

0:07:54.82 - To me, I just thank god i'm still here.

0:08:01.23 - What workers need to do.

0:08:04.63 - Always be on the lookout for any dangers in your workplace.

0:08:08.88 - Always wear the right protective clothing and equipment.

0:08:13.27 - Tell your employer or health and safety rep if you have any concerns

0:08:19.94 - Too often pacific island workers do not report injuries or safety concerns,

0:08:24.50 - or if they do, employers do not always act on those concerns.

0:08:31.39 - It takes a village of people to bring about change.

0:08:33.50 - it is easy to slip up, but it is not easy to replace a life or a limb.

0:08:39.66 - Creating a safe workplace environment is a win-win situation for everyone.

0:08:46.37 - Employers are happy with increased productivity

0:08:49.22 - and workers get to come home safely to their families.