So what's going on with the chat on accidents and fatalities in the building business?
Every year an estimated 700 to 900 people die prematurely as a result of work-related ill-health and 50 to 60 people are killed in work incidents. It is shocking and unacceptable! We have firm targets and priorities to transform New Zealand's workplace health and safety performance
WorkSafe's latest annual report says it is engaging with businesses, organisations and kaimahi to help them do the right thing. It has 18 offices, 671 people and in the 2020/21 year completed 14,121 assessments, concluded 12 audits, finished 187 investigations and prosecuted 63 businesses and/or people.
They recorded the industry with the highest number of fatalities from February 2021 to January 2022 was actually transport, postal and warehousing, where 17 deaths were recorded.
Construction came second with 11 deaths, followed by agriculture's six deaths, six more in agriculture/forestry/fishing support services, and "other services", with five deaths.
WorkSafe data shows the past 12 months had a relatively low number of work injuries, illnesses and serious harm compared with the past seven years: in 2016 there were 2684 notifications; rising to 3172 in 2017; 3128 in 2018; 3144 by 2019; 2502 by 2020; and 2624 by 2021. In the most recent 12-month period — September 2021 to August 2022 — the total was 2512.
So far, this year has been one of the safest on record for worker injuries, WorkSafe data shows.
It is so important, especially with such big ACC levies to keep all your health and safety in check. Are you happy with how your company handles accidents and injuries?