RECENT NEWS

Recent News Request a Consultation H&S Bill Passes Third Reading The Health and Safety Amendment Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament. Labour is promising to repeal it should it enter government. However, Workplace Relations and Safety minister Brooke van Velden said the bill would restore "clarity, common sense, and focus" to New Zealand's work health and safety system, by focusing on critical risk. Those of you who know Safewise well will know that we do not beli

By Sara Crawford. Winter can bring extra challenges for many workplaces, particularly where workers are outdoors, moving between sites, working early starts, or exposed to cold, wet or windy conditions. Even when temperatures are not extreme, winter weather can affect concentration, visibility, energy levels and overall wellbeing. This can increase the likelihood of mistakes, slips, trips, manual handling injuries, equipment damage and workers taking shortcuts to get the job

As we reach the middle of the year, many New Zealand businesses naturally shift into reflection and planning mode. With Matariki encouraging renewal and forward thinking, it is the perfect time to reset your approach to health and safety management. Rather than treating workplace health and safety as a compliance exercise, a mid-year review gives you the opportunity to check whether your system is actually working for your team. Keep reading for seven practical questions to h

Most businesses treat health & safety as a one-off “We’ve got our policies sorted.” “We did that last year.” These are things we hear often from NZ business owners and managers when health and safety comes up. On the surface, it makes sense. You’ve created documents, completed a risk assessment, and inducted your staff. It feels like a job that has been ticked off the list. But this is where a common misunderstanding comes in. Health and safety is often treated like a checkli

Why “health & safety” feels confusing for many NZ businesses If you run a business in New Zealand, you have probably been told you “need health and safety”. What that actually means, however, is often far less clear. For many business owners and office or operations managers, health and safety feels like a mix of paperwork, policies, templates and vague obligations. You might have a folder of documents, or something a previous manager put together years ago, but still feel un

Contractors play a critical role in many New Zealand businesses, particularly across construction, manufacturing, trades, and maintenance services. While engaging contractors brings flexibility and specialist skills, it also introduces additional health and safety risks if not managed well. This is where contractor prequalification, often referred to as prequal, becomes essential. In the context of workplace safety in New Zealand, contractor prequalification helps businesses