Committee Minutes - Friday 4 May 2007

friday, 4 May 2007, 9.00 am to 1.00pm
parkin room, Museum Hotel, 90 Cable Street, Wellington

ATTENDEES

Present:  Professor Neil Pearce (Chair), Dr Evan Dryson and Professor Philippa Gander

In Attendance: Mark Wagstaffe (NOHSAC Secretariat)

Apologies: Anne-Marie Feyer, Professor John Langley

Minutes by: Mark Wagstaffe

1. Previous Minutes and Action Points

NOHSAC Minutes of 21 February 2007 were reviewed and the Committee agreed that they were a true and accurate record of the meeting.

Proposed: Philippa Gander  Seconded: Evan Dryson

All action points were reviewed.

2. Meeting with Ministerial Advisory Panel on Work Related Gradual Process Disease or Infection

Neil Pearce met with the Ministerial Advisory Panel on Work Related Gradual Process Disease or Infection for a discussion on possible areas of collaboration. At this stage the two committees will continue to work co-operatively unless specific requests are received from the Minister of Labour to work on specific joint projects.

3. Budget

The budget is on track for break-even at year end

4. meeting dates for 2007

These will be decided by email. Next meeting provisionally set for 18 July.

Action 1: NOHSAC Secretariat to send an email to the Committee asking for their preferred dates for meetings in 2007, and to confirm 18 July for next meeting.
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 10 May 2007

5. NOHSAC OPERATIONS

Changing Work Environment

Mark Wagstaffe received no response from the original RFP's. It was agreed to award the contract to the Workplace Research Centre at the University of Sydney, Mark Wagstaffe will meet them on 14 May to finalise any issues.

Action 2: NOHSAC Secretariat to meet with Workplace Research Centre at the University of Sydney to finalize contract details.
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 14 May 2007

Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders – Management and Prevention

ACC has commissioned the University of Adelaide to do this work.

Efficacy of Codes of Practice – Joint Project with ASCC, Canberra

ACC is drawing up a contract with Neil Gunningham from ANU who has been selected to asses the codes and develop methodology on why they have been effective. NOHSAC will pay $45,000 towards the cost. It was suggested Mark Wagstaffe talk to Laurence Hartley at Murdoch, and also the Australian Medical Association which has an interesting code of practice for hospital doctors. ANU will be asked to speak to ERMA which has very prescriptive codes of practice.

Action 3: NOHSAC Secretariat to follow up Laurence Hartley and the Australian Medical Association. It will also ask ANU to consider ERMA’s codes of practice.
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 14 May 2007

Cost/Benefit Analysis of Hazardous Substances Regulation (HASNO)

Concern has been raised regarding the HASNO Act not being enforced and the high cost of compliance for SME's.
Proposed that NOHSAC Secretariat provide a one-page proposal for a decision at the next meeting.

Proposed: Neil Pearce Seconded: Philippa Gander

Two further projects were suggested:
• Evan Dryson suggested a review of the prosecutions in New Zealand
• Philippa Gander suggested looking at the Occupational Workforce.

It was agreed to discuss these at the next meeting. In the meantime, the Secretariat was asked to investigate whether Hazel Armstrong and/or Peter Cullen would come and speak on areas of the Act which relate to prosecutions at the next meeting.

Action 4: NOHSAC Secretariat to provide a one-page proposal to review compliance costs of the HASNO Act for decision at the next meeting.
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 16 July 2007

Action 5: NOHSAC Secretariat to explore the suggestion of Hazel Armstrong and/or Peter Cullen speaking to the next meeting.
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 29 June 2007

National Profile of Occupational Health and Safety in New Zealand

Mark Wagstaffe presented the draft National Profile of Occupational Health and Safety in New Zealand: Report to the Minister of Labour, which incorporated comments from stakeholders. Additional comments and suggestions were made by the committee and these will also be added.
Mark Wagstaffe also provided a “Lessons and Conclusions” paper which will be redrafted to incorporate suggested amendments. Both papers will be re-circulated for final comment prior to the meeting with the Minister, Ruth Dyson, on 24 May 2007.

Action 6: NOHSAC Secretariat to incorporate comments on the draft National Profile of Occupational Health and Safety in New Zealand: Report to the Minister of Labour, and incorporate the “Lessons and Conclusions” and re circulate to the Committee prior to the meeting with the Minister on 24 May 2007.
Responsible: Mark Wagstaffe
Target Date: 20 May 2007

6. Meeting Closed

The meeting was closed at 1.00pm, 4 May 2007.