Present: Professor Neil Pearce
(Chair), Professor Philippa Gander, Professor John Langley
Apologies Dr Evan Dryson,
In attendance: Mark Wagstaffe (NOHSAC Secretariat)
Minutes: Carla Wild
1. WELCOME
The Chair welcomed everyone
to the meeting.
2. Previous Minutes and
Action Points
NOHSAC Minutes of Thursday
20 September 2007 were reviewed and the Committee agreed that they were
a true and accurate record of the meeting with the following amendment:
The word “Confidential” to be deleted from page 6.
Proposed: Neil Pearce
Seconded: John Langley
All action points were reviewed.
Correspondence:
Correspondence was noted.
3. NOHSAC Operations
Changing Work Environment:
Implications for Occupational Health Safety in New Zealand, Workplace
Research Centre, University of Sydney – Progress Report.
Philippa Gander and Mark Wagstaffe
will meet the contracted researchers in Sydney on 22nd November to provide
feedback on the report which currently falls short of expectations.
The draft report was due 19 October; however, the Project Manager has
resigned and the date for the final report has been postponed until
early 2008. Mark Wagstaffe will forewarn the researchers of the shortcomings
and asked the Committee to provide feedback to him for this. The comments
so far were:
• More tangible examples are required, e.g., the increase in forestry
and dairying will bring implications.
• It is necessary to link the different factors so that the implications
are clearer.
• The preamble is off the topic and does not contain any information
about when people are working – the statistics require comment on how
they relate to New Zealand and the New Zealand data is not included.
• Interpretation of the graphs is not included.
• There is no table of contents
• An abstract should be included.
Action 1: Philippa Gander and Mark Wagstaffe are
to meet the research team at the Workplace Research Centre and discuss
the committees concerns and develop a new timeline for the completion
of the research.
Responsible: Philippa Gander and Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 20 November 2007
Efficacy of
Codes of Practice – Joint Project with ASCC, Canberra – Progress Report
The Review of Key Characteristics
that Determine the Efficacy of OHS Instruments was tabled. Mark Wagstaffe
will be meeting with ASCC in Canberra on 27 November and asked for additional
comments from the Committee before then.
Comments to date were:
• The research brief should be included in report.
• Some of the suggestions could be expanded to emphasise the Committee’s
call for technical capability and end users to be involved in writing
codes
• The report appears to be very general and researchers are to be asked
for the basis of their statements.
• The recommendations need to be strengthened.
Mark Wagstaffe agreed to prepare a brief draft report for the next meeting
which will go to the Minister as the NOHSAC report and include recommendations
Action 2: NOHSAC Secretariat to prepare draft
report for the Minister
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 19 February 2008
4. REPLACEMENT COMMITTEE
MEMBER
Mark Wagstaffe will invite Anne-Marie Feyer to the next meeting. Her
term expires in June 2008. Mark Wagstaffe will approach two suggested
replacements.
Action 3: NOHSAC Secretariat to invite Anne-Marie
Feyer to next meeting
Action 4: NOHSAC Secretariat to approach suggested replacements.
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 1 February 2008
5. NOHSAC MEETING Dates 2008
Mark Wagstaffe will circulate
a list of possible dates for 2008.
Action 5: NOHSAC Secretariat to circulate list
of meeting dates for 2008
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 20 November 2007
6. GUEST – Chief Coroner
– Judge Neil MacLean and Morag McDowall
Judge Neil MacLean and Morag
McDowall briefed the meeting on the new Coronial system. NOHSAC agreed
to write a supporting letter for the establishment of a Coronial database.
Action 6: NOHSAC Secretariat to draft supporting
letter for the establishment of a Coronial database.
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 10 January 2008
7. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND
SAFETY IN SMALL TO MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Responses to the RFP for Small
to Medium Enterprises are due on 9 December 2007. All responses will
be forwarded to the committee for consideration on the 10th December
2007.
Action 7: Committee to be involved in evaluation
of the responses to the RFP - OHS in SME’s.
Responsible: NOHSAC Committee
Target Date: 9 December 2007
8. RFP – Women’s Occupational
Health and Safety in New Zealand
The RFP was tabled and the
following amendments made to the Service Specification:
• 2.2: Second bullet point to read “An overview of occupational health
and safety in women including: …”
• Additional bullet point to be added under 2.2 to read “Work/life balance
and the implications for personal and family health”.
• 2.3: First bullet point to read “Differences in occupational exposures
and outcomes in women including: …”
• 2.3: Second bullet, first square bullet to read “prevention programmes
and advice provided by relevant agencies”.
Mark Wagstaffe will incorporate these changes and circulate the new
document by 23 November and then issue a RFP. The successful applicant
will be required to consult the Ministry of Women’s Affairs about this
research.
Action 8: NOHSAC Secretariat to incorporate suggested
changes into draft document, circulate to the Committee and when approved
place the RFP on GETS.
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 23 November 2007
9. RFP – The definition of
work related harm and the subsequent diagnosis, rehabilitation and compensation
of work related harm: NOHSAC Technical Report
Several changes were agreed
to for this RFP:
The heading should read:
The definition of work related harm: Implications for diagnosis, rehabilitation
and compensation.
Bullet point 1 – as is
Bullet point 2 – “Review the criteria …” (delete ‘medical’)
Bullet point 3 – Review classification systems for operationalising
the concept of work relatedness.
Bullet point 4 – Review the definitions used by compensation and regulatory
agencies.
Mark Wagstaffe to finalise the RFP, circulate for further comment and
place on the GETS.
Action 9: NOHSAC Secretariat to incorporate suggested
changes into document, circulate and, when approved, place the RFP on
GETS.
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 1 December 2007
Meeting closed
The meeting closed at 12.40
pm, 13 November 2007.
Next meeting
The
next meeting will be held on Tuesday 19 February 2007 at the Museum
Hotel, Wellington. NOHSAC Secretariat to invite Barry Borman, Ministry
of Health and Christopher Blake, the new Chief Executive of Department
of Labour.
