1 May 2013

Govt accused of stalling on health and safety

10:52 am on 1 May 2013

The Government is being accused of stalling in its response to a hard-hitting report into health and safety at work.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges, who issued the report on Tuesday, said the Government will take time to consider it, before responding in detail in July.

The report by the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety recommends an overhaul of health and safety systems to protect workers from injury and death.

The Green Party said the Government should be responding to the report now, not in three months.

Labour said the report paints a picture of negligence driven by the market and health and safety deregulation, and a disregard for workers' safety.

Cost barrier foreseen

The mother of a forestry worker killed on the job believes the Government will shy off implementing the report because of cost.

Caroline Callow's son, Kenny Callow, died in 2011 when he was crushed by a rotten tree.

She said the recommendations will cost the Government and industry a lot of money to put in place.

Mrs Callow said safety changes need to be made to working conditions as well as hours of work.