WorkSafe Accepts Enforceable Undertaking

WorkSafe Accepts Enforceable Undertaking from Metropolitan Waste

WorkSafe New Zealand has accepted an Enforceable Undertaking from Metropolitan Waste (Waikato) Limited, following the injury of a worker using a tin can baler in April 2016.

Following its investigation into the incident, WorkSafe alleged that Metropolitan Waste had failed under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, the health and safety of a worker.

This is the fifth enforceable undertaking accepted by WorkSafe under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015; a tool that is increasingly being used, in appropriate cases, as a positive alternative to prosecution.

WorkSafe Manager Technical Programmes and Support, Simon Humphries, said the decision to accept the enforceable undertaking was appropriate in all the circumstances of this case.

“Metropolitan Waste’s enforceable undertaking agreement will raise the bar for work health and safety for workers and the workplace, the wider industry and Metropolitan Waste’s local community.”

“The victim was supportive of the enforceable undertaken and the conditions it set forward to meet”.

Under the enforceable undertaking, Metropolitan Waste (Waikato) Limited committed to initiatives including:

• Redesigning and updating all Standard Operating Procedures to be more visual.

• Retraining all staff in the updated Standard Operating Procedures, using visual and physical learning techniques.

• Re-engaging Safewise Limited to provide support in areas requiring attention.

• Providing community sponsorship to Waikato-Tainui Marae Development Unit to go towards Health & Safety Workshops and Health & Safety Starter kits.

• Producing an educational video to highlight the consequences of a major health and safety incident and effects this has on the employees and wider community.

• Joining the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management and Managing Director to attend Professional Development Day

• Carrying out Management Road Trips where the Managing Director and Operations Manager will visit six facilities that are either in the same industry or that run similar types of machinery to discuss health and safety.

Danelle Matthews, Managing Director of Metropolitan Waste Limited commented on the outcome;

“It’s important we share our experience and learnings with similar workplaces, to build awareness and understanding”.

The full enforceable undertaking, together with WorkSafe’s reasons for its decision is available at: http://www.worksafe.govt.nz/worksafe/about/enforceable-undertakings/accepted-enforceable-undertakings/metropolitan-waste-limited

WorkSafe will continue to monitor compliance of this enforceable undertaking.

ENDS

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