EMA Health and Safety Webinar: The Future of Workplace Safety

Join us online as we unpack the significant changes coming to New Zealand's health and safety system.

The Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bill aims to refocus workplaces on managing critical risks, rather than a broad, compliance-heavy approach to all risks.

It's the biggest change to our workplace health and safety laws in a decade and it will affect every business in the country. Is this the change business was asking for?

In this webinar, EMA employment relations and safety expert Paul Jarvie will unpack the changes in detail, then highlight the potential benefits and pitfalls, with time for live Q & A.  

He will highlight several key issues that could significantly impact how organisations manage risk, particularly SMEs and high-risk sectors.

The Bill has passed its first reading and is now open for submissions. This is your chance to understand and discuss the issues ahead of this major health system reform. 

Who should attend:

• Business owners, directors and managers
• Health and safety practitioners and professionals
• What will be covered:
• What a 'risk-based' system really means and how it differs from current obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
• Redefining officers’ duties under due diligence and what this might look like.
• Redefining landowners’ duties where recreational activities are undertaken.
• The proposed small business threshold (under 20 employees) and why this could create unintended risks and inconsistencies.
• What counts as 'critical risk' and why common injuries like strains, sprains, fatigue, and psychosocial hazards may fall through the cracks.
• The role of Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) and what greater industry input could mean for your organisation.
• How overlapping legislation could create confusion, particularly where health and safety duties intersect with other regulatory frameworks.
• What’s missing from the Bill, including the absence of supporting regulations and what that means for implementation.

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