Clear responsibilities for health and safety

Proposed law changes will bring clarity to the health and safety responsibilities of directors and managers, BusinessNZ says.

Changes announced today indicate that the routine management of health and safety in the workplace will in future rest solely with managers, not directors.

BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich says this clarity will be welcomed.

"Focusing health and safety responsibilities at manager level makes logical sense, as managers are best placed to know and manage what is happening in their place of work.

"For too long business directors have been operating under the impression that day-to-day health and safety management "might be" their responsibility. That impression has been caused by overlapping laws and regulations that are not clear regarding this responsibility, and directors have often ‘over-complied’ for fear of costly sanctions

"Removing regulatory duplication and clarifying who is responsible for day-to-day health and safety management will go a long way towards safer workplaces all over New Zealand.

"Managers will have more clarity about the responsibilities that belong to them, and directors will be able to better focus on governance and oversight of the business," Katherine Rich said.