In this Issue

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Site Specific Safety Plans

Our Site Specific Safety Plan includes: Emergency and Evacuation Procedures Health and Safety Responsibilities Hazard Registers New Hazard Identification Training, Induction and Competency Register Accident Reporting and Investigation Accident/Incident Register On-Site Monitoring of Health and Safety Sub-contractor Management

Our Site Specific Safety Plan has a new look! This professionally presented template has been designed for use for easily managing safety on site, meeting the needs of the principal to any contract you undertake and is also able to be used when tendering for work. It is 23 pages long and has the beauty of being able to be used for each project/job. Special offer The first 10 orders for the new Site Specific Safety Plan will receive a $50 discount off the total investment of $850 +GST. This price and special offer includes phone and email coaching in its use and back up support. Contact us now for your copy by email or phone 0800 023 789. You will recieve both a hard copy and an electronic copy. Phone/Email coaching and health and safety advice and support* * Conditions apply

What's new at ACC

Although not new, the HabitAtWork section on the ACC website has lots of really good practical advice, hints and ideas promoting self-help and problem solving for
preventing and managing discomfort, pain and injury. Learn more and assess yourself by choosing your work environment via quizzes and simple exercises. For more.....

What's new at the Department of Labour (OSH)

From 1 April 2009 the Employment Relations Act 2000 entitles employees to paid rest and meal breaks and employers will be required to provide facilities for employees who wish to breastfeed at work.

Rest and meal breaks Employees will be entitled to: · one paid 10-minute rest break if their work period is between two and four hours; · one paid 10-minute rest break and one unpaid 30-minute meal break if their work period is between four and six hours; · two paid 10-minute rest breaks and one unpaid 30-minute meal break if their work period is between six and eight hours. If more than an eight hour period is worked, these requirements automatically extend to cover the additional hours on the same basis. The timing of rest and meal breaks is flexible and can follow any arrangement agreed between employer and employee. If an agreement can't be reached, the rest and meal breaks should be spread evenly throughout the work period. For more information......

Breastfeeding at work Employers will be required to provide appropriate facilities and breaks for employees who wish to breastfeed or express, as far as is reasonable and practicable - taking into account both their operating environment and available resources. The breaks are unpaid unless the employee and employer agree otherwise. The breastfeeding breaks are to be provided in addition to the standard paid rest breaks and unpaid meal breaks. For more information.....

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Safety Awards

Celebrate Health and Safety!

ENTER NOW - ENTRIES CLOSE 31 MARCH!

Proudly supported by the Department of Labour, the New Zealand Workplace Health & Safety Awards recognises businesses, both large and small and individuals, who champion safety.The awards acknowledge people and teams who demonstrate commitment and achievement in improving health and safety in the workplace. They give national recognition to good ideas, superior systems, great initiatives and hard-working people who have made a difference. For more......

Health and Safety awareness this month

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In the news

Adventure tourism industry urged to look at safety systems
Dept of Labour Media Release 20 March, 2009
The Department of Labour is urging the adventure tourism industry to look critically at its health and safety systems, in light of the Mangatepopo canyon trekking tragedy. For more......

Employers reminded of health and safety responsibilities on multi-company sites
Dept of Labour Media Release 12 March 2009
The Department of Labour is reminding employers who have overall control of a work site that they have health and safety responsibilities for all employees who work there - even if they are employed by someone else. For more.....

Keep ACC, or we're back to litigation free for all
Press Release: Employers And Manufacturers Federation 5 March 2009
Either we keep our no fault ACC scheme with entitlements about the present level, or we'll go back to a litigation free for all where the only winners are lawyers and doctors, says Paul Jarvie, Manager of Occupational Health and Safety for the Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern). For more......

Father not happy with guidelines
The Southland Times 3 March 2009
New safety guidelines for river boarding do not go far enough, says the father whose daughter drowned on a boarding trip near Queenstown last year. For more....

Worker dies after quad bike rolls
Taranaki Daily News 2 March 2009
Farm manager Wayne Kennard knew something was wrong when he saw the milking shed empty at 8am yesterday. His worst fears were realised when he went searching for his 19-year-old relief milker - and found her dead under her upturned quad bike on the farm near Midhirst. For more....

Hudson River Plane Landing (US Airways 1549) Animation with Audio
YouTube - 15 January 2009
For more......

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At the Tail End (or what we get on email!)

Watch out for fire drills at work

A fire alarm rang at 4 PM at our office when almost all the employees are in (approx 2,000).

As usual, the entire office was evacuated within 5 minutes and every employee gathered outside at the designated location(s). 10 minutes passed... then 5 more minutes passed, but no information or update. After more than 15 minutes of standing outside the office, the following announcement was heard over the PA system:

"Dear Employees, with a heavy heart I am making this announcement that for many of you it will be the last evacuation drill. Due to recessionary pressures, the company is laying off almost 50% of the employees. While moving back into the office, if your Access Card does not work, you are amongst those laid off. All your belongings will be couriered to your residential addresses tomorrow. We have followed this approach as we did not want to fill email boxes with layoff instructions and consequent good-bye emails in thousands. We also wanted to avoid any fist-fights inside the office premises. Hope you have a nice career ahead. Please move in NOW and try your luck. "

Next time there is a fire drill at your office... Be extra-careful

Who is the best parent? ( or why humans dont make the best parents........)

To see the whole photo set.......

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