30 April 2013

Government must implement Health and Safety Taskforce recommendations

The Health and Safety Taskforce recommendations need to be implemented immediately by the Government, Green Party industrial relations spokesperson Denise Roche said today.

The Workplace Health and Safety Taskforce today released its report and has called for urgent, broad-based change to New Zealand’s workplace health and safety systems. The taskforce found there are a number of critical weaknesses and that there needs to be major systemic changes to save lives.

“The Green Party supports a stand-alone agency to monitor, promote, implement and enforce good workplace health and safety standards,” Ms Roche said today.

“And it is vital that this agency is funded adequately.

“Over the last 20 years, badly enforced and weak health and safety legislation has led to too many injuries and lost lives,” said Ms Roche.

“The days of hands-off health and safety must now end. For too long, workers have paid the price of our failed deregulated system.

“All workers deserve decent legal protection and rights to ensure they don't get injured at work. That requires major changes to the status quo and this report offers many good solutions.

“As a former union organiser, I know from first-hand experience how workers concerns about health and safety were often ignored by their employers. We need a legal framework that gives those workers rights and ensures they are not ignored

“New Zealanders should go to work knowing that their workplace is a safe one.

“This report is a chance to start putting safety and workers first and the Government needs to step up to the challenge,” Ms Roche said

ENDS

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