Information for contractors, developers, landlords, clients, and home owners - Factsheet
Safety steps should be outlined in your contract
If work on your building involves work at height, contractors need to ensure the right safety steps are in place before the work starts. If you can’t see them, ask your contractor for them.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is running a programme to reduce the number of injuries and deaths that result from falls from height in New Zealand construction.
More than half the falls reported to the Ministry’s Labour Group from the construction sector occur from less than three metres, and most of these falls are from ladders and roofs. The cost is estimated at $24 million each year.
Everyone must ensure that they are safe when working at height. This includes selecting the right equipment for working safely at height, for example edge protection, scaffolding, using a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP), or a total restraint system.
The Labour Group has made it clear to the construction sector that doing nothing is not an option.
You should expect to see an explanation of how safety will be achieved when engaging a contractor for work that will be carried out at height. This may include quotes and method statements which set out safe work procedures and details of safety equipment.
Contractors who choose to work unsafely are at risk of seriously injuring themselves and their workers. Health and safety inspectors will stop any work at height until they are satisfied that it can be achieved safely. This may impact on work on your building, so make sure the contractor is doing the right thing at the beginning.
For further information about working safely at height and the Labour Group’s enforcement approach for preventing falls from height: www.dol.govt.nz/prevent-falls/ or call 0800 20 90 20.
If you observe unsafe work practices on your building, call the Labour Group on 0800 20 90 20.
Ensure work on your building is safe.
