The Workplace Health and Safety Strategy for New Zealand to 2015 (the Strategy) aims to lift New Zealand’s workplace health and safety performance and reduce the work toll to achieve healthy people in safe and productive workplaces.

RECENT UPDATES

The National Action Agenda

The Minister of Labour, Hon Kate Wilkinson has publicly released the National Action Agenda 2010-2013. The National Action Agenda's aim is to reduce New Zealand's work toll by focusing on the five sectors where the most harm is occurring; construction, agriculture, manufacturing, forestry and fishing.

Through specific actions in each sector a real difference can be made to the work toll, but that difference relies on everyone working together; government, employers, workers, industry groups and unions.

There will also be an increased focus on occupational health issues through the development of a specific Occupational Health Action Plan.

As Ms Wilkinson says, "It is only by combining our skills, knowledge and leadership with action in the five priority sectors that we will achieve the vision of 'healthy people in safe and productive workplaces'."

The Sector Action Plans for construction and forestry are now complete but work is continuing on the Sector Action Plans for the three remaining priority sectors of agriculture, manufacturing and fishing. If you would like to be involved in the consultation process please email.

A Pledge has also been developed so that stakeholders willing to do their part to reduce New Zealand’s work toll can pledge their commitment and become Partners in Action with the Department of Labour. In return they’ll be kept in the loop about workplace health and safety activities and be recognised on the Department’s website.

The State of Workplace Health and Safety in New Zealand - June 2011

This report is a snapshot of the state of workplace health and safety in New Zealand. For the first time, key health and safety statistics have been brought together in what will become an annual report.