How to notify us over the holiday period.
Notifications
If someone has been seriously injured, become seriously ill, or died as a result of work – phone us on 0800 030 040 straight away. We have staff available to respond to these 24/7.
If you’re not sure what a notifiable event is, including your obligation to hold a scene, visit What events need to be notified?
Notifications made through our online form won't be monitored between 12pm on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and 8.30am on Monday 6 January 2025.
If you’re not sure if you need to notify us, use our online notification system and we’ll respond to you after 6 January 2025.
Health and safety concerns
If you have a health and safety concern that isn’t urgent, use our online form and we’ll respond to you after 6 January 2025.
Raise a health or safety concern
General enquiries
General enquiries made by phone or email after 12pm on Tuesday 24 December will be responded to from Monday 6 January 2025. This does not apply to notifications made by phone on 0800 030 040.
We wish you a safe and relaxing holiday.
This safety alert highlights the need to make sure that self-made or modified mobile elevating work platforms (MEWP) are properly designed and constructed.
Background
WorkSafe New Zealand inspectors have noticed an increasing number of mobile work platforms that have been self made or modified. This is most apparent in the hops and horticulture industries.
Some have been fixed to tractors and vehicles, some made for towing, and some are modified from existing MEWPs. Many are badly designed and/or poorly constructed. They pose considerable risk to workers who use them to work at height.
These risks include:
- falls from height
- instability (the platform toppling)
- difficulty for users getting in and out safely
- lack of basic safety features.
Our advice
1. All EWPs (elevating work platforms) must be designed using sound and accepted engineering practices, and must be manufactured using the best methods and practices.
2. They will need either:
- a manufacturer’s certificate of compliance, or
- a certificate of compliance from a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng).
3. They should also have:
- a logbook and register of pre-operation and routine inspections, and
- continuous working and maintenance records.
4. If a MEWP is significantly altered or changed, the owner must get a certificate from the manufacturer or (if the manufacturer no longer exists) a report from a CPEng to confirm that the plant still meets the requirements of best practice guidelines and applicable standards.
5. Workers must also be provided with the information, training, instruction or supervision necessary to ensure that they can conduct work from the platform safely.
Where can you find more information?
Mobile elevating work platforms
Safe use of elevating work platforms in the horticulture industry
Working at height in New Zealand
Working safely near overhead electric powerlines [PDF, 113 KB]
Download:
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