Latest news with #WorkSafe
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Waikato Expressway: Asbestos-contaminated concrete spill closes SH1 for 11 hours
'The fire crews cleared some material so two lanes of the four-lane highway could remain open, and all had left by 12.15 pm.' About 1pm, crews were advised the rubble contained asbestos. Taupō District Council discovered 10,000 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated concrete at Broadlands Rd Landfill in July 2024. 'They returned to the scene with a hazardous materials unit to assist police in making the location safe, and carried out decontamination for people at the scene using cold showers.' The spokesperson said crews left the scene in the hands of police just after 4pm, with private contractors taking over the road clean-up and decontamination. The Waikato Expressway was closed between the Tamahere off-ramp (SH21) and Victoria interchange, Cambridge. New Zealand Transport Agency Waikato system manager Andy Oakley said initially only one lane was closed in each direction while the situation was assessed. 'Once it was determined that the truck's load contained asbestos-contaminated material, the Expressway was fully closed in both directions to enable the clean-up from approximately 1pm. 'The road fully opened at midnight, so was closed for 11 hours.' Oakley said NZTA contractors Fulton Hogan assisted Fire and Emergency with the clean-up. WorkSafe, police and Waikato Regional Council were also involved. 'The clean-up was thorough and there is no ongoing risk,' Oakley said. 'NZ Police and WorkSafe are investigating the crash, so comment is limited at this stage.' A WorkSafe New Zealand spokesperson said inquiries were being made 'to assess compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015″. Taupō District Council confirmed the truck and trailer involved in the crash was carrying crushed concrete from Broadlands Rd Landfill. The council discovered about 10,100 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated crushed concrete at the landfill in July 2024. According to the council's February 25 meeting agenda, tests indicated 25% of the concrete samples had contamination beyond safe limits. The council has approved $1.35 million in funds to address the issue, including $850,000 in February to dispose of the contaminated material at a North Waikato quarry. '[The process] is nearly complete and the vast majority of material has been safely removed,' a council spokesperson said. 'Broadlands Rd Landfill has permanently stopped accepting concrete for recycling.' In response to questions regarding this incident, Health New Zealand referred the Herald to its website. According to the Health New Zealand website, risk of developing asbestos-related disease depends on how much asbestos a person was exposed to and for how long. 'There has been no 'safe' lower limit of exposure identified with certainty,' the website said. The website said potential health problems happen if asbestos fibres become airborne. 'All exposure is thought to add to the overall risk of disease development. But the risk from a single, low-level exposure is considered to be extremely low.' Maryana Garcia is a Hamilton-based reporter covering breaking news in Waikato. She previously wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times.
Newsroom
5 days ago
- Newsroom
Van Velden steers WorkSafe toward a softer touch
WorkSafe is being urged to soften its tone, sharpen its focus, and become an enabler of safe work, not just an enforcer of compliance, as part of significant changes to New Zealand's health and safety regime. Under direction from Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden, the regulator is undergoing something of a transformation to prioritise education over punishment, and trust over fear. 'There is a huge culture of fear around our regulator for health and safety; this needs to change,' van Velden told Q + A with Jack Tame. 'We have to focus on reducing death and serious injuries before we sweat the small stuff.' She says while enforcement remains on the table for serious breaches and dangerous workplaces, engagement and guidance will be the dominant force going forward. But not everyone is convinced this is the right move. Journalist and author Rebecca Macfie, who has written extensively about workplace failures, tells The Detail there is no benefit in watering down enforcement in a country where workplace deaths remain stubbornly high. On average, 73 people die in a New Zealand workplace every year. 'My instinct is no, the changes won't [save lives],' says Macfie. 'It is missing so many critical parts of what a good system would look like. Most importantly, it is absolutely missing the place of workers and worker voice.' Macfie authored a book on the deadly Pike River Mine explosion, a tragedy that killed 29 workers and led to the creation of WorkSafe in 2013 and a major overhaul of health and safety law in 2015. 'I have written and covered so many stories about [workplace deaths], they keep on happening, we keep on killing 70-plus workers a year in this country, and nobody can be satisfied with that, so change and improvement are drastically needed. 'But my response to van Velden's changes is they are not getting to the kind of change that is actually needed. 'On one hand, she wants to dial back on enforcement against businesses and increase guidance. The increased guidance is good, but the dialling back of enforcement is not. 'And there is inconsistency … she wants to see more prosecutions of workers.' 'She also wants to reduce the obligations on directors. 'That seems pretty brazenly inconsistent to me,' Macfie says. 'The bottom line is, the minister now wants WorkSafe to go gently, be more supportive, and be prepared to help. On one level, this is fine, but we need serious enforcement as well.' Newsroom political editor Laura Walters tells The Detail that the changes are on brand for Act. 'This is an important area for Act, in terms of workplace relations, employment relations, negotiations, workplace settings … this is important for Act around reducing – in their words – unnecessary red tape, reducing intervention from government and letting people get on with business and try and lift productivity … this is core Act stuff. 'It's hard to know if this will be a win for Act until we see the effect of the changes … the biggest test is obviously election time. 'But you will imagine this will be welcomed by businesses … they have been asking for this kind of change, so they will be happy. 'But will it reduce deaths in the workplace? 'Right now, that is too hard to know.' The reforms follow months of internal and external reviews of WorkSafe's effectiveness, capacity, and culture. Van Velden says WorkSafe must now be a coach, not just a cop. Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Van Velden steers WorkSafe toward a softer touch
health politics 21 minutes ago A decade after major overhauls to health and safety in New Zealand, WorkSafe is getting a reboot. Critics aren't convinced it will save lives.
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Man dead after worksite trench collapse in Melbourne
A man has died after becoming trapped when a trench collapsed on a worksite. Emergency services were called to the site on Quinns Road in Kilmore, 65km north of Melbourne about 11.30am on Friday. Victoria Police confirmed a man died at the scene, but did not release further details. A report will be prepared for the coroner and WorkSafe officials will investigate the incident. More to come.
ABC News
13-06-2025
- ABC News
Worker dead in Kilmore trench collapse on housing development site north of Melbourne
A worker has died after a trench collapsed on a worksite at Kilmore, north of Melbourne. Emergency services were called to a rural property on Quinns Road about 11:30am on Friday. It was believed the earthworks were being carried out to prepare the site for a new housing estate. Police say the male worker died at the scene. A report will be prepared for the coroner. WorkSafe will investigate the incident.
