Feedback sought on forestry health and safety plan

The Department of Labour is seeking feedback on the draft version of the Forestry Sector Health and Safety Action Plan, part of the National Action Agenda to reduce workplace deaths and injuries.

The Action Agenda is focused on reducing the work toll in the five sectors where the most harm is occurring; construction, forestry, agriculture, manufacturing and fishing. Sector Action Plans are being developed in partnership with key stakeholders in each sector.

In May the Minister of Labour launched the first Sector Action Plan – for construction. This sets out specific actions to reduce the work toll in construction, with a particular focus on slips, trips and falls from height.

The Forestry Sector Action Plan is the second Action Plan to be developed. Among all five priority sectors, forestry has the second highest rate of workplace deaths, a large number of them directly related to tree felling and breaking out.

The Forestry Sector Action Plan sets out a plan of actions to reduce this toll. This includes actions under four key areas; growing safety leadership, developing capability, building knowledge and supporting a robust health and safety system.

It has been developed by the Department of Labour, in partnership with ACC and the New Zealand Forest Owners Association’s Health and Safety Training Committee.

The Action Plan is closely aligned to the Forest Owners Association’s Strategic Safety Plan and provides a purposeful rallying point for government agencies and the forestry sector.

It is open for consultation until 14 July 2011 – with a final version expected to be released in early September.