Access to an adequate supply of qualified health and safety advisers is critical for the effective management of work-related health and safety risks by businesses. New Zealand requires a variety of competent and capable professional health and safety support. At the moment we’re falling short.
HASANZ is acting now to help address capability and capacity gaps in New Zealand’s professional health and safety workforce. Initiatives include:
HASANZ Scholarships for tertiary qualifications in workplace health and safety (to be announced in December)
Stocktake of the current state of New Zealand’s health and safety disciplines resulting in a “pipeline report” to inform interventions, in conjunction with WorkSafe and Skills
A three-year programme to build the occupational hygienist profession, which has an acute shortage of certified practitioners, funded by WorkSafe.
And there’s more to come. Addressing this key issue requires a systemic and co-ordinated approach involving the workplace health and safety sector, government, education and training providers, unions and business. We welcome the generous support already received from HASANZ’s strategic partners and Scholarship sponsors. It takes a village to raise qualified workplace health and safety professionals!
Philip Aldridge
HASANZ Executive Director