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Safety conscious roofing contractors Julius Ivar, Rodeo Ragudo and Dylan Martin take a break.
Local builders are embracing new health and safety laws as the Government tries to reduce accident rates in one of New Zealand’s most dangerous industries.
Construction has been the most deadly workplace in the past 12 months, with four fatalities in the year to April.
According WorkSafe New Zealand, since 2011, 30 people have been killed in the construction industry, making it second only to agriculture for overall deaths.
Sweeping changes to the Health and Safety at Work Act (HASWA) last April were designed to make workers more accountable for safety in the workplace.
Fines for failing to comply with the new laws range from $50,000 to $3 million. Persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) found guilty of reckless conduct also face a five year jail sentence.
WorkSafe New Zealand project team leader Vadim Spice says the most important part of HASWA is not the punitive measures, but raising awareness.
“When we say to builders, ‘did you know that 35 people have died from falling off ladders in the last five years’, they say they knew it was dangerous, but when you quantify it, that’s when the penny drops,” Vadim says.
According to a local builder, who doesn’t want to be named, the culture of risk taking used to be an inherent part of the industry.
“We used to jump from roof truss to roof truss. It was stupid, but we had done it loads of times. It was quicker than going back down and using the scaffold. I did it one day and must’ve missed. The next thing I know I’m hanging upside down from the hammer on my tool belt. I tried to reach up and grab onto the timber framing but couldn’t. The metal claw on the hammer bent under the strain and I fell two storeys bouncing off the timber framing and down on to the concrete slab. I was lucky, but it was a bloody serious wake up call.”
Vadim Spice says that type of risk taking culture is coming to an end.
“I’m a scaffolder by trade,” Vadim says. “I grew up with that bravado and I don’t believe in ‘she’ll be right’. That generation of builders are now responsible because they are business owners and managers. They are now more mature and genuinely care about their workers.”
Former paramedic Simon Townsend operates the Mahurangi and northern area of Triple One Care, which runs approved courses in workplace first aid. He believes the message of being proactive with safety is finally getting through to the construction industry.
“In the six months I have been running this business, the vast majority of people coming through the course have been from the construction industry.”
The courses teach the latest first aid techniques, accompanied with developing and practicing systems for dealing with emergency situations.
“Irreversible damage happens in the first 10 minutes of a medical emergency. It’s about having systems and procedures in place. Learn from experience, not during an emergency, because by then it’s already too late.”
Minister for Building and Housing Dr Nick Smith was in Warkworth last week speaking to National Party members and said that while new health and safety legislation had pushed up the cost of building a house, the rules would save New Zealand money in the long run.
“Building is a big killer and falls are one of the big issues. When you look at the savings in ACC costs, it does stack up.”
