Government braces for expected worm farm mini golf fatality onslaught

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, August 21st, 2015 - 50 comments
Categories: health and safety, national/act government, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , ,

Woodhouse worm farming

I thought about trying to post some analytical comment about what happened yesterday and why sheep, beef and dairy farms are safe places to work but worm farms and mini golf ranges are dangerous.

I cannot.

In keeping the Tallys and farmers happy National has turned the legislation designed to address the Pike River deaths into an object of ridicule.

I just hope that this Government is prepared for the coming onslaught of worm farm and mini golf deaths that they think will occur.  And explain how deaths on other farms are not predictable.

Update:  Maybe this is why the Government thinks that worm farming is so dangerous …

Key worm farming

50 comments on “Government braces for expected worm farm mini golf fatality onslaught ”

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  1. sabine 1
    21 August 2015 at 7:45 am

    a few weeks ago i had chick come to my shop offering her services in regards to the new legislation. They would only charge about 750 plus gst to write an emergency plan for my business.

    Now i am a sole operator, with two partimers, and i make chocolate. It appears that I have to have lots of written paperwork, including an emergency plan ready for the day i drop a dipping fork on my foot or something.

    National, positively against small businesses.

    • b waghorn 1.1
      21 August 2015 at 7:55 am

      I was at a school meeting the other day and the head told us that teachers are no longer allowed to put art work up off a ladder , if that’s the sort of rubbish that is coming towards farmers then bloody good on them for fighting back.

      • sabine 1.1.1
        21 August 2015 at 7:57 am

        yes, i heard that too, you essentially need now two people before you can climb a latter.

        one to hold the latter, then you climb the latter, and then you need to rest with one hand on something to make it stable.

        omgosh, how will they regulate housewifes hanging their curtains?

        The way i see this is that infractions will be served to small businesses until they go out of business. Win Win for the big ones that are not regulated in this sham and that get to pick up the left overs.

        National, positively against small business owners.
        Screwing over Mum and Pop businesses since ages ago.
        And, only in NuZillind.

        • Lanthanide 1.1.1.1
          21 August 2015 at 8:38 am

          Ensuring ladders and elevated work platforms are safe and stable falls under taking “all practicable steps” to ensure a safe work environment, which is already the law.

          The fact that the school did not have a proper policy in place for this, and is *now* implementing such a policy, means the law is actually having it’s intended effect – workplaces will now be safer than they were.

          Whether the specific policy of requiring 2 people to climb ladders is the best or most appropriate solution to ensure safety of ladders is a separate issue.

          omgosh, how will they regulate housewifes hanging their curtains?

          The new bill applies to Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking, so does not apply to “housewifes” [sic] putting up curtains in their private residence.

          The way i see this is that infractions will be served to small businesses until they go out of business. Win Win for the big ones that are not regulated in this sham and that get to pick up the left overs.

          Unlikely. Firstly, large businesses are *more* heavily regulated by the bill, as they typically will have more dangerous work places as well as more employees, meaning they have a bigger workload in order to ensure high levels of health and safety at all times. Secondly, it is more likely is that WorkSafe will go after the bigger employers, and will use their powers carefully by making examples of bad cases, with big fines, as threats to everyone else to follow their duty by law.

        • b waghorn 1.1.2.1
          21 August 2015 at 6:04 pm

          One of the trustees seemed very clued up on health and safety and he was adamant that this was the case and it was only the beginning .
          BTW they where pricing a portable scaffold.

      • repateet 1.1.3
        21 August 2015 at 12:16 pm

        I can see the questions forming: “How many National Cabinet Ministers does it take to change a lightbulb?”

    • Lanthanide 1.2
      21 August 2015 at 8:36 am

      It is unlikely that this bill will impose any new requirements on your business that the existing law did not already impose. If you are fully compliant with the existing law, then you will be fully compliant with the new one.

      Furthermore, no one *requires* outside assistance to write these sorts of procedures and policies. Many businesses may find these services helpful, but it’s no different than many private home-owners finding oven-cleaning companies helpful.

    • McFlock 1.3
      21 August 2015 at 12:57 pm

      It’s a bit like domestic security companies: they go door to door, talking up the crime rate and threat to family, do a “free” review of your home’s security, and then sell you an expensive security system refit because “what price is your family’s safety worth”?

      When you can do pretty much all the required stuff yourself for well under a grand.

      btw: mmmmmmmmmmm chocolate…..

  2. Lanthanide 2
    21 August 2015 at 8:33 am

    Pretty sure Talleys operations will employ more than 20 employees, so therefore this particular part of the health and safety bill has no impact on them.

    Nice distraction, though.

    • Enough is Enough 2.1
      21 August 2015 at 8:58 am

      You are completely correct Lanth.

      If we are going to be critical, at least be accurate.

    • sabine 2.2
      21 August 2015 at 10:19 am

      i don’t know.
      i have had some women come in for a coffee, handing me a little glossy presentation with pen and all :), offering her services to set up the Emergency Plan, all written documentation etc etc, and they would only charge $ 750 plus GST or a “Maintenance Programme” setting all the required paperwork up for you and maintain it over the course of the year for a mere and measly 1000$ plus Gst.

      I must see if I still have her little package. That was dropped of about 6 weeks ago?
      btw. her pamphlet targeted small businesses, and she was very pushy about it.

      (edited)

    • Skinny 2.3
      21 August 2015 at 10:55 am

      Oh and how about Talley’s contractor’s ‘small fishing boats’ the ones who really are working for Talley’s. It’s all in the Talley’s Group submission. I would post but its in PDF and really busy today.

      • yip 2.3.1
        21 August 2015 at 12:06 pm

        Every nz fighting boat big or small need a Safe Ship Management, every hazard needs to be put in a safety plan.

        • Skinny 2.3.1.1
          21 August 2015 at 1:15 pm

          Yerp and when the owner of the vessel (often Skipper) doesn’t stick to the plan, and his crew has no health & safety rep by law, like has/is the case now with under so many employees. Occasionally everyone else on board don’t stick to the plan or monitor/review it, and operate on trust the Skipper has it sorted. They set to sea and either come home in a body bag or not at all.

          However according to the Talley Group in their submission…..

  3. Levi 3
    21 August 2015 at 8:46 am

    David Seymour’s interview on Morning Report qualifies him for the title of Clown-in-Chief .
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201767427/health-and-safety-reform-bill

  4. Skinny 4
    21 August 2015 at 9:03 am

    +1 Mickey.
    Quite frankly it is disgraceful that such important workplace health & safety reform has been watered down from the bluster spouted by John Key all those years ago.

    Watching a replay of Parliament tv last night I observed a number of things. While opposition MP’s spoke with passion in their condemnation of the shambolic, softened legislation, many a National MP sat with their heads bowed in shame, and rightly bloody so. What a bitter pill to swallow, and by the looks on their faces I would say some had nightmares last night in their sleep. For what appears to be the influence of the toxic Judith Collins and her disgraceful back bench led revolt. What is really going on behind the scene? Is it the influence of political donations and intense lobbying. If someone with the knowledge of how many National MP’s and the amount they received from the Talley’s, and or their group of companies I would be most grateful.

    As far as Talley’s and lobbying goes I suggest people read the disturbing submissions put forward by Peter Talley and Affco. Honestly if you have a read you will be appalled at some of Peter Talley’s ideological views, such bitter twisted rants against workers. Labour must take a position, and quickly on refusing their MP’s to accept donations, in reference to O’Connor.

  5. Dorothy Bulling 5
    21 August 2015 at 9:07 am

    Hoc can you legislate for lack of common sense? And if the politicians supporting Key had any they would simply state that anyone who employs a person to do any job must then ensure that person’s safety at all times, and that directors of a governing board charge their manager with the same duty of care. And that the board is responsible for ensuring that this is done.

  6. weka 6
    21 August 2015 at 9:33 am

    Lolz at the Dune image, but I’d just like to point out that large scale worm farms use heavy machinery (trucks, diggers etc). If there were as many worm farms in NZ as traditional sheep farms, I’m guessing there would be similar levels of work place accidents. There are also health and safety issues in handling compost because of what you can breath in.

    Not that I think National were actually thinking about those things.

  7. Paul Campbell 7
    21 August 2015 at 10:08 am

    Surely sheep and dairy farms are full of worms ….

    • Macro 7.1
      21 August 2015 at 11:59 am

      Not any more – maybe sheep farms – but conventional dairy farms pour so much fertilizer that is toxic to earthworms on their farms that earthworms are few and far between.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_farming_and_biodiversity#Earthworms

      • Paul Campbell 7.1.1
        21 August 2015 at 4:34 pm

        yes but surely now that Woodhouse has raised the public awareness of the dangers of worm farms we should get every farm on which these terribly dangerous worms are found to be tilling the soil on behalf of the farmers designated a “worm farm” and instute appropriate workplace safety regimes to protect aeveryone, including the millions of unwilling worm workers

      • Paul Campbell 7.1.2
        21 August 2015 at 4:34 pm

        yes but surely now that Woodhouse has raised the public awareness of the dangers of worm farms we should get every farm on which these terribly dangerous worms are found to be tilling the soil on behalf of the farmers designated a “worm farm” and instute appropriate workplace safety regimes to protect aeveryone, including the millions of unwilling worm workers

  8. greywarshark 8
    21 August 2015 at 10:23 am

    What a worried face in the head image. Worried about everything but what is really important. Time for musical accompaniment from Monty Python – I’m So Worried.
    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0e10baH6cE)

    • Tricledrown 9.1
      21 August 2015 at 11:55 am

      The cats need worming.
      The govt pussyfoots around reform.
      Death on farms becomes the norm.
      National nueter safety reforms as if any farmer would vote left.
      National has no balls.
      The Death of each worker in the work place is estimated to be a loss to the economy of $1.5 million aprox.
      Times 300 that’s nearly $500 million or about $100 million per year.

      • Carolyne Moran 9.1.1
        21 August 2015 at 12:56 pm

        wait on the bright side of all this imagine the savings on super as so many will die slipping on worms hitting a ladder and getting head stuck in cat doors….So offsets the cost funerals only 15k saving $985,000 a year times 300…..Put in opt out clause if you vote National

  10. rhinocrates 10
    21 August 2015 at 11:24 am

    Of course worm farming is deadly – have you never been to Arrakis? However, think of the damage over-regulation would do to our melange industry!

    • Stuart Munro 10.1
      22 August 2015 at 11:02 am

      Not to mention the greenies – people like that lieut-Kynes are going to ruin everything.

  11. Atiawa 11
    21 August 2015 at 12:42 pm

    Wheres the ONE LAW for ALL brigade when they’re really needed?

  12. Smilin 12
    21 August 2015 at 1:17 pm

    How will they get on at Watties in Gisborne, back in the Dark ages a bloke I knew died in the mixer. will they even be allowed to assess the risk as they may not have to have a health and safety officer as it appears “may” is the operative word when it comes to employer obligations in this legislation
    OSH will probably get a new bunch of powers to crackdown on non compliant worm farmers

  13. Keith 13
    21 August 2015 at 4:41 pm

    When Nathan Guy was commenting on the data that was the basis of decisions ranking of “dangerous” jobs, was he actually referring to the data showing donation contributions of each industry to the National Party?

    • Skinny 13.1
      21 August 2015 at 6:47 pm

      +1 Keith
      Collin’s and her nervous giggling did not mask the guilt she carries for undermining PM John Key with her self centered egotistical led back bench revolt. Her and lapdog Maurice Williamson are a disgrace to our democracy. And John Key yet again showed his gutless wonder talent for putting National Party coffers above ‘all else’ by catering for his cab club mates These charlatan’s had the gawl to take Talley’s blood money and deliver to the piper the bosses tune. Filthy rotten scum.

      Do you also detect a slight admonishment from Paul Henry towards his friend Judith Collins? Barry certainly let her feeling known, by directing a snarling crack as she read the news headlines after toxic Judy slunk off set.

      http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/judith-collins-worm-farm-machines-dangerous-not-worms-themselves-2015082109?ref=video#axzz3jOJ2izRd

  14. rod 14
    21 August 2015 at 4:54 pm

    Nice one Keith.

  15. b waghorn 15
    21 August 2015 at 6:07 pm

    If labour was serious about winning the next election they would be better served labeling the nats as a nanny state government rather then arguing the point over things most people aren’t going to pay attention to.

    • BM 15.1
      21 August 2015 at 7:22 pm

      Hmmm, I don’t think you’ve quite grasped what socialism is.

      • b waghorn 15.1.1
        21 August 2015 at 8:40 pm

        Oh I get it but I also know that to win you have to play to the rules , so when you’ve got a punch of soulless fuck wits in charge you have to see the shit and use it against them.

        • BM 15.1.1.1
          21 August 2015 at 8:47 pm

          Right.
          So you campaign against any sort of nanny state while running on a platform of full on nanny statism.

          I may see a flaw in your plan.

          • b waghorn 15.1.1.1.1
            21 August 2015 at 9:09 pm

            The nats are just as capable of letting shiny asses in offices make stupid laws up to fill there days in as labour is . I’m interested in the big picture and the left as flawed as they some times are ,are streaks ahead of any shit scum key and his mates turn up.

    • North 15.2
      21 August 2015 at 11:02 pm

      Remember the festival of masturbation over “Nanny State !”, alternatively “Helengrad !” ? “Cats in shops…..Oh God the sky is falling down !”

      From the very people who are now more “Nanny State” than Helen ever was, and fascistic to boot. None of them have her class of course. All their guts directed in favour not of principle or fineness within…..all directed in favour of an albeit cunning but very gauche non-man banker boy ?????

      • b waghorn 15.2.1
        22 August 2015 at 7:34 am

        Yes I do remember it and the difference is Helens ideas on light bulbs and such things where good ones , but lining up trustees for huge fines if some worker they have no direct control over hurts themselves is insanity.

  16. Reddelusion 16
    21 August 2015 at 7:07 pm

    Agree, another, no one cares topic, next the bathroom slipping and safety act

    • Mike the Savage One 16.1
      21 August 2015 at 8:23 pm

      Do not be so deluded, you do not understand nature and basics:

      We need more worms and bees to keep the earth fertile, so worm and bees business deserves protection and promotion, as without it we can forget out agricultural base business. I suppose the government is concerned about the worms and buzzing bees in their brains, their bodies and structures around themselves, e.g. offices, so they decided to put this up on the priority list.

      Maggots, worms and even wasps and bees seem to be perceived as hazards, I think that Mr Woodhouse and his colleagues suffered endless nightmares after Nasty Judith rose from her rose tinted ORAVIDA sponsored chair. She must have sent the shivers down their spines, so they decided, we must include the worms, the maggots, the buzzy and other bits, as otherwise we will have endless nightmares or even be eaten by these beasts or insects.

      In return the quarries, farms, forests and many other work sites were rather overlooked or ignored, given distraction by nightmares.

  17. Glenn Bennett 17
    22 August 2015 at 7:33 pm

    I believe they are deliberately making anything to do with food production high risk in order to stop citizens in the future from producing their own and ensure its only controlled by the Corporations. They tried the so called Bio Security Act in 2010. Which tried to prevent you from giving vegetables to your neighbors. Control the food chain you control the people