Businesses Need Helping Hand to Deliver Health And Safety

New Zealand First is warning the government that small and medium businesses could be crippled under the financial burden of conforming to new health and safety requirements.

“The costs of courses, travel and time off work to train health and safety representatives should be covered by the government,” says Spokesperson for Labour and Industrial Relations Clayton Mitchell.

“In the current economic climate businesses are barely surviving. The government must support them to cover these new costs if they truly want to protect workers on the job.

“New Zealand First has talked to numerous business owners, many in the Bay of Plenty, who are worried about the cost.

“A builder with 28 workers says he is overburdened. For example, just a few of his costs are half-day WorkSafe courses for all workers at about $150 every two years; the requirement for electrical cabled equipment to be certified every three months at a cost of $600; and training scissor lift operators at a cost of $460 each. Then there is no guarantee the staff who have been trained will stay.

“These are just some of the ongoing costs for a business.

“The costs of the health and safety changes will have a detrimental effect on small and medium businesses but workers’ safety is paramount. The solution is for the government to pay the costs.

“New Zealand First will be submitting a number of supplementary order papers that will cover the unintended consequences of the Health and Safety Reform Bill and we urge the government and other parties to support them for the betterment of workers and business owners.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media