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.
A recent health-related prosecution of an Ashburton animal feed producer for failing to manage the risk of dust exposure has shone a spotlight on the need to manage work-related health risks.
Precision Animal Supplements Ltd (PAS) manufactures a range of mineral pellets for cattle. A hammer mill, a pelletiser and mixing using a bobcat created a large amount of dust which put six workers at PAS at risk of exposure.
“WorkSafe recognises that work can affect health and health can affect work, and a business has an important role to protect workers’ mental and physical health,” says WorkSafe Principal Advisor System Strategies, Sue Cotton.
A 2017 investigation by WorkSafe revealed that of the materials used to make the pellets, 85% were a substance hazardous to health and 64% of those were toxic substances.
The investigation also found the company lacked health risk management systems and identified substantial failures to manage worker exposure to hazardous substances.
PAS pleaded guilty and was sentenced and fined $70,000 late last year. The court said it would have been appropriate for a fine of around $400,000 to be handed down; however the fine was reduced for financial reasons.
PAS was also ordered to pay a total of $5000 in emotional harm payments to three of the exposed workers.
“People were clearly being harmed. The message for businesses is they must ensure they manage health risks. They also need to ensure those paid to advise on health risks are competent,” says Ms Cotton.
Last updated