health and safety

Categories under health and safety

  • No categories

O’Brien on health and safety

Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, June 5th, 2015 - 22 comments

Tova O’Brien has written an excellent piece on squabbles within National over health and safety legislation, calling it a disgrace and a power-play by the Collins faction.

Some Nats growing a spine on health and safety?

Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, May 27th, 2015 - 18 comments

Helen Kelly and the CTU have done a great job raising the issues of workplace health and safety. Have they even got the attention of some Nats? Apparently there are delays to proposed changes as some in caucus resist.

Farming prosecutions need to be part of health and safety programme

Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, May 13th, 2015 - 9 comments

Half the workplace deaths in NZ last year were in agriculture.  Already this year the toll has been massive.

My Little Ponytail

Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, April 22nd, 2015 - 407 comments

A really strange story has appeared on The Daily Blog. It claims to be a first person account of PM John Key regularly physically harrassing a staff member in his local cafe over the summer. While it may be much ado about nothing, the Prime Minister really should tell NZ his side of the story. Or resign if it’s true.

Update: It’s true. Key’s office has confirmed the harassment.

Daniel Rockhouse: “No one was there to meet them…”

Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, January 1st, 2015 - 21 comments

A July 2013 post by Helen Kelly was about Daniel Rockhouse who survived the Pike River Mine disaster, and then rescued Russell Smith. Yesterday Daniel Rockhouse got a bravery award. Read Kelly’s 2013 post here.

Jobs That Count

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, December 17th, 2014 - 20 comments

The Meatworkers Union today launch a campaign for Jobs That Count – to try to get better conditions for these marginalised workers who face it all – seasonal work, dangerous jobs, casual and zero hours contracts and anti-union pressure.

Condolences: safety at work

Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, September 1st, 2014 - 76 comments

My condolences to those close to the victims of the horrific actions in Ashburton today.

Wages up – Work secure – Labour policy

Written By: - Date published: 1:03 pm, July 30th, 2014 - 165 comments

Labour has today released its Work and Wages policy. An immediate lift to $15 in the minimum wage, and a raise to $16.25 in April next year. 90 day free sacking option for employers to go in first 100 days. Core public service to get the Living Wage first, others to follow. That’ll put some money where it’s most needed.

Poto Williams – Forestry Safety

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, June 14th, 2014 - 23 comments

A guest post from Poto Williams, Labour’s MP for Christchurch East concerning her recent attendance at the Independent Forestry Safety Review consultation and her thoughts on what is happening in relation to safety in the sector.

 

Remembering forestry workers

Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, April 28th, 2014 - 15 comments

The deaths of forestry workers are outrageous & sad.  Helen Kelly has campaigned extremely well for change.  An international day of remembrance yesterday, a procession on parliament today – a belated govt Bill that is an improvement, but does not go far enough.

The image is the story …

Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, April 7th, 2014 - 15 comments

Images from today’s mainstream media news: tales of class, crime, drugs, disasters…… and jet-setting beneficiaries.

Domestic violence is a work issue

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, April 1st, 2014 - 88 comments

We can now put a dollar figure – a conservative, probably-underestimated figure – on the cost of domestic violence to New Zealand business. That’s due to a report commissed by the Public Service Association, released yesterday in conjunction with a Member’s Bill from Green MP Jan Logie which will change our law to protect victims […]

Why we train health and safety reps

Written By: - Date published: 4:31 pm, February 28th, 2014 - 15 comments

Sadly those that don’t want workers to be trained in health and safety are attacking the courses the CTU runs for health and safety rep training, ironically including the Minister of ACC. This blog is a rather boring “on the record” blog setting out how the contract is run in preparation for any further attacks.  They might not happen over night, but they will happen!

Forestry families bringing their message to Parliament

Written By: - Date published: 7:42 pm, February 19th, 2014 - 7 comments

Readers of The Standard have read and engaged on the campaign for forestry safety. There is now a Review underway and we need to maintain the organising momentum to ensure change is made. On 28 April is International Workers Memorial Day and we have invited the families of all workers killed since 2008 (that we have […]

Is it always better late than never?

Written By: - Date published: 6:26 pm, January 29th, 2014 - 18 comments

Minister of Labour Simon Bridges today said he welcomed the Review of Forestry Safety and that he has asked Worksafe NZ to review the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) into the forestry sector to “clarify them”. Chris Finlayson was the Minister when the current regulations (ACOP) were signed off new in December 2012.  He said […]

Workers Denied Access to Information

Written By: - Date published: 11:10 am, January 25th, 2014 - 29 comments

The  NZ Logger magazine has published attack after attack on us since about August of last year.  You have to read them to believe them.  Industry players and Editorials suggesting we are the problem in forestry safety!  One even suggested UNIONS were exploiting workers in the industry through our safety campaign. I contacted the Editor to ask for a right of reply.  It was written with minor changes and expected to appear this month. Now they won’t run it…. Have a look at it yourself.

Health and Safety Rep Training – a cut by any other name

Written By: - Date published: 6:40 pm, January 14th, 2014 - 140 comments

Jordan Williams and Simon Lusk

I couldn’t give a rats arse about Jordan Williams and his new little Act campaigning vehicle against the State, but I do care about health and safety and the manner in which some of the media have run his latest little ruse against training health and safety representatives in the workplace is a disgrace. Judith Collins has used it as a cover to announce the end of worker health and safety training by unions beyond this year, leaving workers unable to access the powers under the Health and Safety Act to issue hazard notices and represent their workmates.

On Pike

Written By: - Date published: 3:56 pm, December 12th, 2013 - 97 comments

The decision announced today (but made when?) to withdraw the charges against Pike CEO Peter Whittall cannot be left to rest. When did a Judge of a New Zealand Court participate in a deal where criminal charges were dropped and money paid.  It is insufficient to say the two are not connected.  The money has […]

Pike River – Charges against Peter Whittall withdrawn

Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, December 12th, 2013 - 45 comments

The charges that Peter Whittall faced concerning the Pike River deaths have been withdrawn.  And he and the then directors of Pike River are paying $3.4 million compensation to the victims families.  While it is pleasing for the families to receive some compensation for their loss does the sanctity of our justice system require that the prosecutions should have continued?

Tin ear or cold heart?

Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, November 20th, 2013 - 239 comments

Since he came to office, John Key’s government has spent over $350 billion (and borrowed over $50 billion). It has handed out taxpayer largesse to casinos, rich sailors, finance companies, and international corporations. So, why the blunt refusal to pay just $3.4 million to the Pike families and lean on the shareholders to get the cash back? Tin ear or cold heart?

The right thing to do

Written By: - Date published: 9:59 pm, November 19th, 2013 - 23 comments

David Cunliffe has pledged that the next Labour government will pay the court-ordered compensation owed to the families of the disaster’s victims, and will then recover the money from Pike’s shareholders. As he succinctly puts it – this is the right thing to do.

Key refuses to pay compensation for Pike River

Written By: - Date published: 6:53 am, November 16th, 2013 - 120 comments

John Key this week ruled out any Government contribution to compensation ordered to be paid by Pike River to the deceased miners’ families despite a strong suggestion by Judge Farrish that this should occur.  Now that the photo opportunities have finished and the effect of the corporate PR spin has worn off the Government’s handling of the issue appears to be deeply cynical and totally unjust.

Storm. Thoughts for those at the centre.

Written By: - Date published: 6:01 pm, October 14th, 2013 - 32 comments

Things are appearing to be quite bad in the south and in Wellington, with worse to come.

Your Brighter Future: Burn.

Written By: - Date published: 1:13 pm, October 2nd, 2013 - 15 comments

“I just utter one fear…”

Remember that?

“The problem gambler”: Key & SkyCity

Written By: - Date published: 12:05 pm, August 8th, 2013 - 10 comments

Brand Key – CEO of NZ Inc, speculator, gambler, spinmeister – epitomises the “neoliberal revolution”.  Gambling & other consumerist addictions are blamed on the individual. A court case against SkyCity shows the contradictory links between gambling, smoking, corporate influence & “insatiable consumerism.”

Fool’s gold

Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, August 2nd, 2013 - 12 comments

In its submission on the Pike River bill, New Zealand’s second largest mining company has told Select Committee that workers can’t be trusted to look after their own health and safety, and everything’s just fine the way it is.

But at the same time one of their mines has been partially closed due to a safety hazard.

Tale four – the Death of Philip McHardy. Killed 31 August 2011 – struck by a tree

Written By: - Date published: 7:35 pm, July 25th, 2013 - 7 comments

Philip McHardy was killed while working in a pine plantation block in Overton Forest Winton on 31 August 2011.  He worked for Don Contracting and was working in a Southern Forest NZ Ltd managed forest.

Wellington workers

Written By: - Date published: 6:52 am, July 23rd, 2013 - 28 comments

Let’s hope that workers’ rights and safety are protected in the wake of the Wellington quakes.

Fairness at work and a living wage

Written By: - Date published: 11:57 am, July 21st, 2013 - 8 comments

fairness-at-work-thumb-3The Government has been warned that the Employment Relations Amendment Bill is likely to breach ILO conventions.  Bridges has responded by saying that the breaches “may not be significant”.  Why is it that the Government gets all hard core when dealing with beneficiaries legal obligations but is so casual when it deals with its own obligations?

Tale Three – the Death of Sean Mortensen. Killed 20 January 2010

Written By: - Date published: 5:01 pm, July 17th, 2013 - 16 comments

Sean Mortensen was killed at Robin Hood Bay, Port Underwood in Marlborough.  He was 34  years old.  He worked for Pelorus Contracting Ltd and was in a forest managed by Merrill and Ring Ltd.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

No feed items found.
No feed items found.
No feed items found.

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-05-19T15:11:23+00:00