Human Resource Management

The Health and Safety at Work Act, 2015 was enacted as law in New Zealand in 4 April, 2016. “The Act is part of Working Safer: a blueprint for health and safety at work and reforms New Zealand’s health and safety system following the recommendations of the independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety.” (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, 2016, para. 1). “Working Safer is aimed at reducing New Zealand’s workplace injury and death toll by 25 by 2020. It will require leadership and action from business, workers and Government to achieve this goal. The Act’s key emphasis is on everyone in the workplace being responsible for health and safety.” (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, 2016, para. 1). This project identifies health and safety issues in the plastics industry and the project is related to a specific business. However due to confidentiality the name of the business will not be revealed. The methodology for this research is desktop project, not involving interviews or primary research. For this project I have carried an examination of the key parts of the new Act. From the research I have identified a range of health and safety issues which would be of importance to this type of company. This includes the identification of hazards, the development of safe working practices, providing quality staff training and an induction programme for new staff. The findings will be discussed in detail, with a health and safety manual, in my final report. Source: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. (2016). Health and Safety Reform. Retrieved from http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/employment-skills/workplace-health-and-safety-reform