Estimated to take effect mid-year, the reform aims to reduce New Zealand’s workplace injury and death toll by 25% by 2020. As a people-oriented company, Focus Construction Group prides itself on looking after its employees and contractors. Health and Safety is key part of this, with a comprehensive Health and Safety policy in place as well as site safe accreditation for employees and a culture of “a Safe Site is a Good Site”. With this dedication, the Focus team has achieved their goal of zero-accident projects on 99% of jobs over the past 10 years.
Focus Construction Group Health and Safety Manager Luke Gernhoefer explains, “Our staff know how important Health and Safety is. We arrange regular Site Safe Certification trainings throughout the year and it’s a core part of our day to day business operations”.
The current EMA Site Safe Certification course staff members are on adds up to 8 days of training in total and brings participants right up to speed with what’s happening with the Government reforms.
Gernhoefer says knowing the law is just the starting point to successful Health and Safety within a company. “Implementation and enforcement is key. At Focus we have thorough H&S plans and processes that get implemented for each project, plus a weekly on-site audit to identify any areas which need tightening”.
Managing Director Barry Plumpton concludes, “At the end of the day it’s about ensuring all of our staff go home safely to their families. That’s why we do the training and have the systems in place.”