Questions and answers - 22 March 2011

What is this new action agenda?

The National Action Agenda sets a new direction for action under the national Workplace Health and Safety Strategy. The key drivers for change are New Zealand’s work toll, a review of the Strategy and the global downturn and economic recovery.

What will it do?

It sets out the work the Department will be doing with industry groups, employers, workers and unions to focus specific actions on workplace health and safety issues in the five priority sectors where the most harm is occurring – construction, agriculture, fishing, forestry and manufacturing.  These industries account for 36 percent of all ACC claims. New Zealand’s work toll is simply too high and this is a serious plan of action to address this.

Is it just another strategy or piece of paper?

It is not a strategy it is an action plan, focused on four key action areas and five priority sectors, setting out actions to reduce the number of workplace deaths and injuries and the rate of occupational disease.

How will you measure its success?

The Department will be monitoring the implementation of the Action Agenda and the sector action plans to ensure they’re completed on schedule and meet their aims.

We will report annually on the progress of high-level indicators for health and safety in an annual State of Health and Safety report. The National Action Agenda will be reviewed and updated by December 2013.

When will the five sector action plans be ready?

The construction action plan will be released shortly. Action plans for agriculture, forestry and manufacturing will be rolled out over the next few months. Maritime New Zealand is responsible for the action plan for fishing.

Why isn’t the coal mining industry one of the five priority sectors following the Pike River mine tragedy?

The explosions at the Pike River coal mine in November 2010 resulting in the death of 29 men were a national tragedy. While mining is not one of the Action Agenda’s five priority sectors, safety in this sector will be thoroughly scrutinised by the various investigations and the Royal Commission of Inquiry. Developing any new sector plan for the mining industry needs to await the outcome of these investigations.