Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)

Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) that protects people from breathing in substances hazardous to health.

We provide advice for businesses and workers, guidance on respiratory protection and a respiratory selection tool to help workplaces find the right respirator for their workers.

Advice for workers

This quick guide is for workers who use RPE at work.

Respiratory Protective Equipment videos

These videos show how to properly use a disposable P2/N95 respirator (dust mask) or a half face or half mask respirator.

Working at height in New Zealand

Good practice guide providing practical guidance to employers, contractors, workers and all others engaged in work associated with working at height

Working safely at height

Preventing falls should be actively managed so that people working at height are kept safe. We have produced a variety of guidance about working safely at height.

Roof restoration and maintenance

People restoring or maintaining roofs work at heights for both short and long periods of time. When anyone works at height, they could be seriously injured or killed unless they use the right height hazard controls.

Doing nothing is not an option.

Mobile elevating work platforms

This good practice guideline outlines requirements when working with mobile elevating work platforms.

Managing asbestos in your building or workplace – for PCBUs

Guidance for businesses, commercial and residential landlords, body corporates, and information on asbestos management plans.

Safe use of machinery

These guidelines outline the hazards that come with using machinery in the workplace, potential injuries and how best to control these hazards

Scaffolding in New Zealand

Advice on the safe design, use, and maintenance of scaffolding.

Maintenance of trees around powerlines

This approved code of practice trees describes minimum standards and preferred work practices for work on trees near power lines.

Excavation safety

Guidelines for managing the health and safety risks associated with excavation work.

Safe work with lifts, escalators and moving walkways

Good practice for work involving lifts, escalators or moving walkways.

Safety and health in arboriculture

This guide is primarily aimed at the arboriculture industry. It provides guidance on how to safely climb, prune, trim, maintain and remove trees, cut brush and for using equipment. It does not provide advice on electrical hazards.

Working on roofs - good practice guidelines

This good practice guide will provide practical guidance to employers, contractors, employees and all others engaged in work associated with working on roofs.

Safety alert: Maintaining, inspecting and re-certifying permanent anchorage systems

This safety alert highlights the need to maintain, inspect and re-certify permanently installed anchorages for rope access and fall arrest systems after installation.

Requirements for Approving a Type of Burner – Safe Work Instrument 2025

This is the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances—Requirements for Approving a Type of Burner) Safe Work Instrument 2025.

Working at height

This section contains information about elevating work platforms, scaffolding, and equipment for working at height. It also contains our guidance for working safely at height and on roofs.

Industrial vacuums and portable extractors for hazardous dust

This guidance advises PCBUs how to choose, use and maintain industrial vacuums and portable extractors for controlling hazardous dust at work.

Working with asbestos

Access the latest guidance on working with asbestos. You can also find information on duties relating to work involving asbestos – licensed and unlicensed.

Switches for circuit, installation, protective and connection devices

Prior to being offered for sale in New Zealand, switch connectors and accessories that are within the following definitions are subject to a Supplier Declaration of Conformity.

News and media

We produce a range of information to keep you informed about our work. Here you can access our latest media releases, newsletters, bulletins and safety alerts.

3.0 Emergency management

Mobile plant assessment tool

This assessment tool has a focus on the machines involved in machine felling and extraction. It is designed to supplement the Forestry Assessment tool which has a broader focus on the people, the site, and the plan.

Keeping your service station compliant with the hazardous substances regulations

This guide will help you understand how to comply with the regulations for hazardous substances at your service station. It will also help you or your staff prepare for your compliance certifier’s visit to issue your site with the necessary compliance certificates.

Adventure and outdoor recreation activities – managing the risks from natural hazards

Guidance for adventure activity operators and outdoor recreation activity providers.

Applying the workplace exposure standards

How to apply the workplace exposure standards (WES).

Machinery

Safe work with precast concrete

These guidelines offer advice on the safe handling, transportation and erection of precast concrete elements.

Petrol station

Petrol stations are busy places with lots of vehicle and pedestrian traffic. They also store and dispense large amounts of hazardous substances, which is it's very important to have good health and safety systems and processes in place.

What we mean by adventure activity

Here we explain what we mean by an 'adventure activity' so operators, the Registrar, and WorkSafe inspectors can determine if an operation is an adventure activity.

Guidance for commercial white water rafting operators

These guidelines offer advice on keeping workers and participants safe while white water rafting.

Safe sheep shearing guide

The purpose of these guidelines provide advice on how to keep people safe in the shearing industry.

Above ground fuel storage on farms

These guidelines provide practical advice on ways to manage the health and safety risks associated with the above ground storage of fuel on farms.

Controlling dust with on-tool water suppression

This guidance advises PCBUs how to choose, use and maintain an on-tool water suppression system to control dust.

How we set workplace exposure standards and biological exposure indices

This policy explains the role of workplace exposure standards (WES) and biological exposure indices (BEI) produced by WorkSafe and sets out the approach we take to managing and developing them.

Local exhaust ventilation

This guidance is for persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs). It explains some factors to consider when selecting, using and maintaining a local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system.