Trades apprentices participate in a safety challenge

Taranaki ran its first ever Trades Apprentice Safety Challenge in May 2009 - a day of practical safety activities designed to test apprentices' safety skills and knowledge. Challenges included loading and unloading a truck, hoisting an eye-beam up scaffolding, selecting appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for a chemical spraying task and identifying electrical hazards within the home. Also in the mix were some first aid, food safety and road safety challenges, along with a tough fitness test.

Trades apprentices from eight local construction, engineering, and oil and gas companies took up the challenge. They showed great teamwork and true competitive spirit. Shell Todd Oil Services Ltd (STOS) and Clelands Construction battled it out for top spot, with STOS winning the trophy - but only just!

The day was a collaboration between ACC, the Department of Labour, New Plymouth Injury Safe (NPIS), the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) and the New Plymouth Construction Safety Focus Group, and was set up and hosted by the Department of Labour. The event made excellent use of facilities at the versatile Taranaki HSE centre.

The Trades Apprentice Safety Challenge is going to be an annual event. It was not just a day of fun for the apprentices. It was also, as they said themselves, a timely reminder to use the health and safety knowledge they've already learnt.

Eliminating a hazard: the twitch release tool

People often become resigned to living with hazards in their line of work. A hazard that has existed for many years in the freight industry occurs when the chain securing plant on to transporters or logs on to logging trucks is undone. The chains need to be tight to ensure the load doesn't shift during the trip, and they are placed under high tension by a device called a 'chain twitch'.

These highly tensioned chains can tighten during travel and be difficult to release. Operators tend to move themselves close to the twitch to gain enough purchase to release the lever. When the twitch is released under tension, this piece of heavy steel moves with great speed, travelling through an arc of 180 degrees. Workers have been injured by being struck in the face or under the jaw, as the twitch 'explodes' open.

After Mike Vette of Transfield Services in Whangarei saw his friend injured and one of his transporter drivers had a near miss in January 2008, he designed a simple tool that isolates the operator during the twitch release. The operator is put at a safe distance from the twitch so that the risk of being struck by the twitch is greatly reduced.

At the 2009 Safeguard Health and Safety Awards, Transfield won a special commendation for innovation in the best design or technology initiative category. One judge commented: "This has huge application. I can see this being used in every truck in the country."

Winstone Pulp International pulp and saw mills: prepared for an emergency

What happens if a workplace accident happens a long way from emergency response services? If it's at the Winstone Pulp International (WPI) pulp and saw mills in Ohakune, you'd be in good hands. After a serious accident in 2006 showed how remote they were from community emergency services, the company decided to set up their own advanced first aid emergency response team.

Now the team of 20-odd are available to respond to incidents at the mill seven days a week, with every shift having a minimum of two team members. This ensures good coverage over any 24-hour period. The team, staffed by enthusiastic volunteers, have had extensive training. Some of the initial volunteers had already acquired skills and experience through involvement in the local fire brigades, ambulance service, scouts and search and rescue.

The company supports training, and team members receive a small payment for the service they offer the company. The company has purchased equipment for the team, including a specialised trauma backpack kit, an emergency rope kit, and pagers connected to the WPI phone system.

To date, the team has dealt with fractures, sprains, lacerations and a cardiac arrest. Best of all, it has made itself available during emergency call-outs in the local community, for example, at a road accident.

It's a unique winning concept. Just having the team has enhanced safety awareness, but if an accident does occur, the employees and contractors have assurance that help is at hand. The rural community also benefits, and individual team members have gained confidence and leadership skills.

Marae safety: Hoani Waititi marae and Department of Labour form a successful partnership

Hoani Waititi Marae is a local marae situated in Waitakere. This whānau-orientated environment had a 30-year history of operations without serious injuries or fatalities, when in June 2007, the marae suffered a tragic loss: a 3-year old mokopuna died after a steel gate fell on him.

A thorough investigation into the accident was undertaken by the Police and the Department of Labour, and it was recommended that the Department work with the marae trust to formalise robust health and safety systems. And so began the Manaakitanga i o Tātou Marae Project - a project aimed at meeting regulatory standards with health and safety practices on the marae, while operating within the context of traditional tikanga.

The most challenging aspect for marae whānau was an understanding that the marae is not only a place for whānau, but also a workplace that has a responsibility to ensure safety and wellbeing. For example, Māori immersion kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori and wharekura kaupapa Māori schools are located at the marae. The marae also provides administrative support for the hundreds of whānau and manuhiri that come from near and far to take part in community programmes and events.

The marae management took hold of the challenge (te wero) laid down in order to demonstrate to whānau their commitment to preventing another tragedy from occurring. Over a six-month period in 2008, a number of measures and systems were put in place:

• A nominated health and safety representative attended training, and all marae staff completed a first aid course.
• Hazards within each work area were identified and documented, and a management recording system was developed.
• An induction programme was introduced for all contractors to the marae.
• Strategies to eliminate, isolate or minimise significant hazards were implemented, for example, the LPG gas facility was upgraded and electrical appliances and heavy machinery were inspected.

For the marae trust, the project increased awareness of the marae as a workplace. The trust regards the project as just the beginning and sees the need for continuous improvement to its health and safety practices. The Department of Labour now has an ongoing working relationship with the marae, and recognition of the transformation at Hoani Waititi Marae was celebrated when the project received the IPANZ Crown-Māori Relationship Award on 18 June 2009.

The Manaakitanga i o Tātou Marae Project, which translates as 'taking care of our marae', is a model that both the trust and the Department would like to see used by others. The template developed by the trust can be adopted by other marae and/or Māori businesses to meet regulatory standards while operating within the context of traditional tikanga.