Everyone working with chemicals must make sure they wear the right safety gear – also called personal protection equipment or PPE. Workers are entitled to have PPE provided by the employer or PCBU. It is the employer or PCBU’s responsibility to make sure that the PPE is suitable for the work or hazard, that it is clean and maintained and that it fits the workers who use it. 

What is the right safety gear?

The exact gear needed will depend on the product you are using and the job you are doing.

You may need specific gear depending on whether you are:

• mixing
• handling
• applying
• cleaning application equipment
• cleaning up spills

The product label and SDS (safety data sheet) will tell you about the hazards of the product and the precautions you should take. 

Equipment

Generally, you should have available: 

• WSNZ_3821_Feb 21 AGRICHEMICALS Chemical-resistant gloves
•  Chemical-resistant goggles or full face mask 
• Overalls 
• Respirator with correct filter or cartridge 
• Chemical resistant footwear 

Not all gloves are the same There are different types of gloves for different chemicals. Most safety clothing manufacturers will have a chemical resistance chart which tells you which gloves are suitable for which chemicals. Make sure that the gloves that you have are fit for purpose for the chemicals you are handling. 

Equipment Checks

Check your:

• Skin is fully covered when handling chemicals
• Safety gear is right for the chemicals you use
• Respirators and filters or cartridges are the right type
• Safety gear fits properly – if it does not fit, it will not protect you
• Safety gear is cleaned at the end of the day and stored securely

Cleaning Up

Always wash your hands, arms and face after working with agrichemicals, especially before:

• eating
• drinking
• smoking
• going to the toilet

Once you have finished using agrichemicals for the day, have a shower or bath with soap and water, shampoo your hair, and put on clean clothes. Wash your clothes separately from other clothes before using them again.

For more information on Agrichemicals visit WorkSafe’s website.

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Saliva testing has many unique features that make it the right choice for employees, their Unions and employers, and business owners. The combination of cost-effectiveness, rapid and less invasive specimen collection, and results relevant to the risk of recent use make good business sense to adopt saliva as the specimen you use for workplace drug testing.

Who is using Saliva Drug Testing?

Industries using saliva testing include Construction, Transport and Freight, Manufacturing, Forestry, Meat Processing, and Farming.

What are the benefits?

Saliva testing is a less invasive way of drug testing and is preferred by employees, unions, and employers.

The benefits include:

• Targets recent use.
• Employee and union demand for a fairer test of potential impairment – acute impairment.
• Considered less invasive.
• Less potential for cheating.
• No requirement for a bathroom facility.
• The collection process and the ability of the donor to read results eliminate the subjectivity of interpretation.

Why use Saliva Drug Testing Over Urine Drug Testing?

Urine drug testing, for example with Cannabis, can show a positive result for days or weeks after use which may not be applicable to whether or not your employee is safe to work. Whereas in oral testing, cannabis will be picked up for 12 hours, so recent use and possible impairment at work is detected.

When should we use Saliva Drug Testing?

• Reasonable Cause Testing – the employer believes a staff member is impaired at work or where drug use is potentially witnessed.
• Post-Accident (same day) – accidents occurring during work time or on company property.
• Random Testing – used where an employee is working in a safety-sensitive area or if an employee’s work directly impacts the safety of others.

Urine drug testing remains the preferred method for all Pre-Employment Drug Testing, but this is for the employer’s determination.

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As a human resource advisor, I am regularly contacted by managers or business owners when staff are not performing, where there is a conflict between two or more staff or even when there is an external complaint and the employer is looking for a way to bring this back on track. Set clear expectations with your employees.

In these situations, I have observed that there is a lack of clear expectations or a need to re-established expectations to ensure best results from the individual and/or the team going forward. 

In the workplace there are many different occasions when managers will need to set, agree and be guided by expectations. Let’s look at how this works?

Types of expectations:

Expectations fall into two main areas:

2. Performance expectations (What you do in your job)

This expectation is the job tasks, the key results and the outcomes that need to be achieved in a particular role.  The job description often describes this, but it is also important to discuss more broadly what is required with the individual (at the commencement of employment and also on an ongoing basis).

2. Behavioural expectations (How you do your job) 

These relate to the expected values, behaviours and attitudes that are required in the role e.g.  quality service, professional behaviour, customer first! 

Keys to effective expectation setting: 

There are 5 key steps to setting clear expectations:

Set expectations that stretch and inspire a job well done!

If your expectations are high (not too high), most employees will work to achieve these expectations and the average performance will go up. Encourage people to be the best they can be.   Always ensure that you set these expectations consistently across the team and allow for employees at each stage of their employment (new – competent – experienced). 

Ensure you are clear on what the expectations are?

This sounds obvious, however, in my experience, very few managers clearly communicate their expectations and why they are important. 

Consider why each of the expectations is important to the overall outcome of the job and the outcome for the business or service. 

Communicate and, wherever possible, agree expectations.

Share the detail of expectations with individual employees or the full team – you can even get their input and feedback.  These discussions will ensure more successful commitment and support from your team, but you should still retain the ultimate right to decide on the final set of expectations that will be applied.

Encourage employees to share their expectations of you.

Expectation setting should be a two-way process so you can encourage your employees to share their expectations with you.  Be prepared to listen and take on board their feedback and offer support as necessary. This will build a level of trust and mutual respect.   

Communicate your expectations often to get the best results. 

To be an effective manager/leader you need to consistently communicate and reinforce your intentions and expectations.   

For example, the need for Quality, Customer Service, Best Practice, Accuracy, Timeliness, Inclusion and Diversity should be communicated at every opportunity including team meetings, performance discussions and coaching conversations.

You will also need to ‘walk the talk’ and show others what the expectation looks like in practice. 

Key messages 

Great businesses are created and maintained by ensuring performance and behavioural expectations are translated into employee day-to-day habits which will promote the environment you are seeking. 

Expect and communicate the best – and more often than not, results and a positive, energised work environment should follow.

If your business is looking for advice on setting expectations or having difficult conversations contact me on helen@cp.org.nz.

Find out more about how we can help you with our human resources team

 

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Moving Day / Gypsy Day Health & Safety

Seven critical areas when exercising due care towards other road users when using public roads for stock movement.

1. Plan for the move: Start with good communication, clear expectations and a solid plan.
2. Consistency of warning – Make sure you are using adequate distance and visibility on public roads. What is sufficient warning distance?
   a. Warning signs must be placed at 3 x the speed limit in metres from oncoming traffic on either a stand or a pilot vehicle and from 3 x the speed limit in metres from the stand or pilot vehicle to stock.
3. Conduct a road risk profile to determine the level of risk:
   a. The risk associated with where the stock are located on the road.
   b. The risk associated with moving stock with low visibility due to weather, geography and light.
   c. The risk associated with traffic speed and density.
   d. The risk associated with stock numbers.
4. Visibility is essential for yourself and stock. Wearing high vis clothing, positioning warning signs correctly and having flashing amber beacon lights on droving vehicles or pilot vehicles are important for visibility to other road users.
5. Keeping stock to the side of the road or the berm creates less of a hazard than stock wandering all over the road.
6. Plan to move during daylight hours and avoiding peak traffic hours when moving stock. Visibility issues due to fog, rain, winding roads, hills and foliage all play a part in obstructing the view of oncoming traffic. Much of this can not be avoided, so giving clear advanced warning will help to mitigate risk
7. If large machinery is being moved, use a pilot vehicle with a wide load sign. Where possible, move this ahead of time if it isn’t currently in use – one less safety hazard to manage on the day itself.
8. The larger the herd being moved, the higher the risk. Anything over 50 head of stock is considered high risk.
   There are legal obligations when moving stock that you must be aware of. The NZTA stock under control provides clear guidance on your legal obligations when moving stock
   If you are moving stock on a public road or highway for Moving (Gypsy) Day, you are required to have a permit* and a traffic management plan.

*Permits are available from individual councils

Contact us for more information on how we can assist with your moving day plan or other aspects of your health and safety on-farm.

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According to Worksafe (2019) statistics, workplace ill-health is a very real and serious issue here in New Zealand.  

“A worker is 15 times more likely to die from  a work-related disease than from a workplace accident.”

With those statistics wouldn’t you say it is common sense to have health monitoring at your place of work?

1. What is workplace health monitoring?

Health monitoring evaluates if a workers’ health is negatively affected by hazardous exposure while at work, by detecting any changes to the  workers’ health. 

Health monitoring should begin at the start of employment, providing a foundation to assess any health changes, illness or harm and then continue as regular ongoing monitoring to identify if the health of the worker is:

• getting worse?
• getting better?
• remaining the same?

While health monitoring is not mandatory across all safety sensitive businesses, workers undertaking restricted work are obligated by regulations governing health and exposure monitoring.   Read more on the Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016. 

Make health monitoring part of your routine.

2. Should my business provide health monitoring? 

The type of health and exposure monitoring your workplace requires depends on the type of work your workers undertake and what exposures they have to substances which can be hazardous to their health.  

Are your workers exposed to ongoing:

• noise
• chemicals
• vibration
• dust
• fumes

If you are not sure if you need health monitoring, we can help advise you.  

3. What does health monitoring  include?

Depending on the work the worker is undertaking a health monitoring regime can include:

• lung function tests 
• detection of hearing loss 
• blood tests 
• vision testing 

Health monitoring must be carried out or be supervised by an occupational health practitioner who is trained and experienced in health monitoring.  That same person can also help to interpret the results of monitoring to ensure that the monitoring is effective. 

4. Should the worker be informed about health monitoring? 

It is the businesses duty to inform the worker of health monitoring and the regulations concerning health monitoring. 

5. Who covers the costs of health monitoring?

The business bears the cost of health monitoring of workers. If the worker works across different businesses those costs should then be shared.

6. Does the worker need to know the outcomes of the monitoring?

It is the duty of the business to provide the health monitoring report to the worker who has undertaken the monitoring.

7. Should records be kept?  

The report should be kept as a confidential record, however it should be made available for all other businesses who are responsible for health monitoring of that particular worker. 

8. What else can the business do? 

Introduce control measures to support the health of your workers; perform regular and ongoing measurements to ensure control measures are working; provide regular and ongoing monitoring; encourage compliance within the workforce. 

9. Should our business include wellness checks when we undertake health monitoring?

Life is busy and hours of trade are often long leaving little time for doctor’s visits, a balanced diet and regular exercise.  More often than not people are unaware of how marginal their health really is until it’s too late.  Fast food on the go over time takes its toll on our health and wellbeing.  Energy drinks, alcohol, high concentrations of carbohydrates, saturated fats and sugars lead to heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol.  By enabling early diagnosis of disease will help to support your workforce and your business. 

10. How long does it take?

With Compliance Partners, a basic health monitoring regime will include hearing, lung and vision testing which takes approximately 35 minutes. We recommend including wellness checks of cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure – the whole package is then completed in approximately 45 minutes and your workers.  

Worksafe (2019).  Work-related health estimates and burden of harm. https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/work-related-health/work-related-health-estimates-and-burden-of-harm/
 

Register here for your wellness check up:

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Working in extreme heat can lead to illness or injury, so it is important to identify, control and monitor those risks.

Being sun smart is something we Kiwis have been practicing for decades now, avoiding the high levels of ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun. We are well schooled in skin cancers caused by overexposure to the sun, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to give the team a small reminder about Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap when working in heat. But did you know WorkSafe provides good practice guidelines for working in extreme temperatures.

Extremely hot environments can lead to illness or injury, so it is important to identify, control and monitor those risks.

Nine quick fixes are aimed at helping your team while working in the heat:

– Where practicable install insulation and heat screens for people working around heat-producing machinery

– Turn on air-conditioning units, install ventilation and use dehumidifiers to remove excess moisture

– Where practicable provide mechanical aids to reduce worker effort provide protection from the sun if working outdoors

– Where practicable reschedule work for cooler times of the day

– Provide extra breaks to cool down or rotate tasks between workers to allow time in the shade or with less strenuous work

– Maintain hydration

– Workplace monitoring of temperature and humidity levels to ensure safe levels are not exceeded

– Health monitoring – check your team are fit and healthy enough for working in the heat

– Provide health and safety training on how to keep healthy and safe when working in extreme heat

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Workplace burnout is a very real thing with research suggesting an increase in anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress due to the pandemic.

We would like to offer some responses to burnout that may help you as an employer or employee:

• Acknowledge when times are difficult. Longer hours, job security and uncertainty have been prevalent this year so a good place to start is to acknowledge tough times.

• Recognise the symptoms. Burnout can manifest itself with both physical and mental symptoms. It can go unnoticed at the beginning as a person strives to do there best with high productivity and high energy levels. However, motivation can slowly decrease, replaced with frustration and followed closely with the physical symptoms of fatigue and headaches.

• Prevention is better than cure. Have prevention strategies in place – simple things like regular breaks, reasonable work hours and reasonable expectations. Drive this from the top down, so your team understands the strategies and can ask for help without fear of retribution. If you have identified a high risk person create an individual strategy to suit their needs.

• Regaining control. If burnout strikes, recovering requires some help. Assessing workloads, tasks and team culture is important to provide recovery and get the whole team back on track.

We can help. Our human resources team can offer advice on procedures to help your team avoid burnout, while our occupational health team provide wellness checks to ensure your team are up the task. Call us for free no obligation advice 0800 249 7233.

This content is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. For complete advice, please contact us at Compliance Partners.

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Flu Vaccinations

Is the flu vaccination something you offer your staff? If so, now’s the time to get a head start on workplace flu vaccinations, or if it’s not something you have done before, there is no better time than now to get your team vaccinated. Our trained registered nurses come to your business.

Why get the flu jab?

To help stop the spread of the flu, at home, at work and in the community.

It’s the best protection against the flu, and even if you find yourself with symptoms they may not be as severe.

When should you and the team get vaccinated?

Before the flu season to ensure you get in ahead of the flu – it can take up to 14 days for your body to start developing protection against the flu.

Things you need to know

First Aid – A first aider must be on-site and available during the vaccination.

All individuals receiving the flu vaccination are required to remain on-site and within view of the first aider for five  minutes following the vaccination, however a 20 minute wait is required if you have never received a flu vaccination before.

The best time to get the vaccine is just before the start of winter. Book in workplace flu vaccinations for your team early to secure yourself and your staff a spot to get vaccinated before flu season arrives.

We visit workplaces right across Canterbury and we’re ready to take bookings, so call now on 0800 249 7233 or email info@cp.org.nz to guarantee a date for your workplace. We also take bookings via our website here

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Working in confined spaces and working at heights are hazardous. On farm silos are one area that presents both of these health and safety hazards. 

Entering silos from either the base or the top of the silo presents serious health and safety risks, either through engulfment inside the silo or falling from heights when climbing up the side.

What is working at height

Working at height is when a person can be injured falling from one level to another. 

What you should know:

• The Health and Safety Act requires business owners to take reasonable steps to prevent harm from occurring when working at heights 
• A risk assessment should be completed to ensure the safety and necessity of the action before anyone climbs up the side of a silo  
• The correct training and equipment should be provided to ensure there is no risk of falling before a worker climbs up the side of a silo

Working inside a silo

Working inside of a silo is considered a risk of working in an enclosed space not intended for human occupancy. A silo presents the risk of engulfment and subsequent suffocation from materials such as grain, sand, flour, fertiliser and sawdust.

It is the business owners role to:

• identify any hazards 
• where possible, eliminate or minimise the risk to anyone in the workplace

Silos and their risks – steps to ensure worker safety:

• Provide correct training for all workers on farm
• Isolate contaminants ensuring the atmosphere is free of toxins
• Ensure machinery such as augers are inoperable while workers are inside the silo
• Have emergency procedures in place which have been communicated to all on farm

For a further information head to WorkSafe NZ’s Working at height in New Zealand 

Health and safety packages

Health and safety is not about telling you how to run your business, it is about helping to  equip you with the right advice on keeping your workers, your family and you safe while at that place of business.  For more on health and safety packages read here. 

Compliance Partners offers mobile health and safety, occupational health and human resources advice to local business. Call us 0800 249 7233

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Quad bike safety devices – crush protection devices (CPDs) – are designed to prevent riders from becoming trapped, crushed or suffocated by the weight of a quad bike. You don’t see them often on New Zealand quad bikes, but a pending law change proposal and an ACC initiative offering cashbacks on certain quad bike CPDs, may mean we start to see them more often.

While helmets are mandatory on quad bikes, Worksafe NZ strongly supports the addition of CPDs. Although some manufacturers say not to retrofit CPDs, Worksafe NZ believes the research says otherwise with CPDs more likely to prevent serious injuries or even fatalities.  

ACC cashback on CPDs

Currently, ACC is working with Worksafe NZ to promote installing CDPs on quad bikes by offering cashbacks. ACC are being prescriptive in their cashback offer by only offering the $180 + gst on Quadbar, Quadbar Flexi, and ATV Lifeguard CPDs.

Safety on farm vehicles and machinery is part of a person conducting a business or undertakings (PCBU) duty of care. Where reasonably practicable all efforts must be used to minimize risk if it cannot be eliminated altogether. Remember, always wear your helmet and use the right vehicle for the right job. 

For more information on the ACC cashback offer on CPDs head to ACC.

Health and safety packages

Health and safety is not about telling you how to run your business. It is about helping to equip you with the right advice to keep your workers, your family and yourself safe while at your place of business.  If you would like to find out more about our health and safety package read here…

Compliance Partners offers mobile health and safety, occupational health and human resources advice to local business. Call us 0800 249 7233

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