The Workplace Health and Safety Council was established in 2007 to advise government on workplace health and safety matters. The Council provides leadership, co-ordination, and advice on relevant legislation, standards and policies.

In particular, Council members focus on the best ways to make progress with the Workplace Health and Safety Strategy for New Zealand to 2015. For the Strategy to work, government, industry and employers, and workplaces and employees must all play a part in reaching its vision, ‘Healthy people in safe and productive workplaces’.

The Council is well placed to build consensus among the groups involved, with its tripartite membership. The eight-member group includes government, employer and employee perspectives on workplace health and safety.

Ex officio members are Hon Kate Wilkinson - Minister of Labour, Phil O’Reilly- Chief Executive Business New Zealand, and Helen Kelly - President New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.

Other members appointed to the Council bring valuable interest and experience in workplace health and safety. They are Andrew Casidy - General Secretary Finance Sector Union Finsec, Paul Jarvie - Manager Occupational Health and Safety, Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern), Panu Raea - General Manager Safety and Employee Well-being, Air New Zealand, and Fritz Drissner - Health and Safety Co-ordinator Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union.

You can contact the Council at whss@dol.govt.nz