RECENT NEWS

Recent News Request a Consultation New ACOPs for Agriculture WorkSafe has released two new Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) for the agriculture sector, with both coming into effect on 1 April 2027 alongside the Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026. What is an ACOP? An Approved Code of Practice sets out one recognised way of meeting health and safety duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. While ACOPs are not mandatory, they carry more weight than genera

Most employers understand how to manage physical hazards. If a floor is slippery, it can be cleaned. If machinery is dangerous, guarding can be installed. If noise levels are high, hearing protection can be provided. Psychosocial risks can be more challenging because they are often less visible. Workload pressures, conflicting priorities, poor communication, workplace conflict, and unclear expectations can all affect people's wellbeing and ability to perform their work safely

Pressure is part of modern working life in New Zealand. Tight deadlines, shifting priorities, weather disruptions, staff shortages and increasing client expectations are familiar to many of us. In some industries, pressure is not the exception; it is the baseline. However, while pressure itself is not inherently dangerous, unmanaged and sustained pressure can become a workplace hazard. Understanding where that line sits is increasingly important for businesses, especially as

At Safewise, we know that a strong safety culture is about more than managing physical hazards, plant and PPE. It also includes how work affects people’s mental health, wellbeing and ability to perform at their best. Psychosocial hazards at work are now widely recognised as a key health and safety risk in New Zealand. When these hazards are not well managed, they can contribute to stress, fatigue, errors, incidents and long‑term harm. A healthy psychosocial working environmen