Minutes of the Meeting

ATTENDEES

Present:

Neil Pearce (NOHSAC Chair), Philippa Gander, Anne-Marie Feyer and Selwyn McCracken

In Attendance:

Mark Wagstaffe and Stephanie Kerruish (NOHSAC Secretariat – Department of Labour), Andrew Annakin and Carol Slappendel from Department of Labour, (11.30 to 12.30am), Darrin Goulding and Phillip McIntosh from ACC (2.00pm to 3.05pm) and Julian King (Health Outcomes International) (3.15 to 3.50pm).

Apologies:

Evan Dryson

Minutes by:

Stephanie Kerruish and Mark Wagstaffe

Next Meeting:

6 December 2004

DESCRIPTION

RESPONSIBLE

TARGET DATE

1. Previous Minutes and Action Points

NOHSAC Minutes of 18 August 2004 – accepted with no changes.

Proposed: Phillipa Gander; Seconded: Evan Dryson.

All action points were reviewed and noted that they have been completed.

Action 1

Hon Ruth Dyson’s PA, Marie Davis, advised that she is unable to confirm any suitable dates/times for NOHSAC meetings next year until the information in regards to when the ‘House is Sitting’ is received.

Action 3

A draft letter addressed to the Associate Minister of Labour was presented to the Committee in relation to Neil Pearce’s sabbatical and also the re-appointment of two Committee members, Philippa Gander and Evan Dryson. The Committee agreed that these letters be forwarded to the Associate Minister of Labour.

2. NOHSAC’s Operation and Work Programme

Anne-Marie Feyer made the suggestion to the Committee that if a report is to be discussed and that a meeting is not scheduled soon, or is unable to be held, that a teleconference be held. This gives the Committee the opportunity to discuss any issues on an ‘as needs’ basis instead of waiting for the next set meeting. The Committee agreed that this was a suitable option and will be used as appropriate in the future.

Action 1

NOHSAC Secretariat is to forward their current invitation list to the Committee.

NOHSAC Secretariat

22/10/04

Action 2

The Committee are to send any details of others they feel should be invited to the launch of the report by Tuesday, 26^th October 2004.

Committee Members

26/10/04

The covering letter to the Associate Minister of Labour, Hon Ruth Dyson, to accompany the first NOHSAC Report, was also discussed. It was agreed that Neil Pearce would draft a letter, together with Mark Wagstaffe, for circulation to the Committee for comment.

Action 3

Mark Wagstaffe and Neil Pearce are to prepare a covering letter to the Associate Minister of Labour to accompany the first NOHSAC Report

NOHSAC Secretariat and Neil Pearce

October 2004

Government Agencies, CTU and Business New Zealand will be provided with an embargoed copy of the report on 29^th October 2004.

Action 4

NOHSAC Secretariat will forward the copies to the Government Agencies and other organisations.

NOHSAC Secretariat

29/10/04

Mark Wagstaffe met with NOHSC members at EPICOH and was informed that NOHSC were doing similar research on Surveillance and Control of Workplace Exposures at the end of the year. The Committee discussed the possibility of working with Australia and sharing ideas and research, especially on an international basis.

The Committee agreed that Mark Wagstaffe perform the New Zealand review with the possibility of including another contractor; explore the possibility of working with NOHSC in contracting an international review.

Action 5

Mark Wagstaffe is to discuss the options with NOHSC and report back to the Committee with a proposal for the international review on Surveillance and Control of Workplace Exposures.

Mark Wagstaffe

December 2004

Review of Methods and Systems Used to Measure and Monitor Occupational Disease and Injury – International

A handout of the presentation slides that were used at EPICOH by Nic Kendall was distributed.

Review of Methods and Systems used to Measure and Monitor Occupational Disease and Injury in New Zealand

The Committee met with Julian King to discuss the draft report. The Committee recommended changes. The Chair asked that the Committee review the draft report and if they have further suggestions/changes, they forward them through to either Mark Wagstaffe or Stephanie Kerruish.

Action 6

The Committee is to review the draft report for the ‘Review of Methods and Systems used to Measure and Monitor Occupational Disease and Injury in New Zealand’ and forward their recommendations through to Mark Wagstaffe or Stephanie Kerruish.

NOHSAC Committee

December 2004

Action 7

Selwyn McCracken to forward a copy of the Third Party Admin report to Julian King at HOI.

Selwyn McCracken

Nov 2004.

3. Other Matters

The Committee met with Andrew Annakin, the Deputy Secretary – Workplace and Carol Slappendel of the Department of Labour to discuss the work of NOHSAC and issues of concern to the Department of Labour. It was agreed that there needed to be greater expertise in occupational health within OSH, and that the Committee would support a case to the government to build OSH’s capacity.

It was also agreed that NOHSAC’s first report ‘The Burden of Disease and Injury – Technical Report’ will be very timely and will be used to consider the future direction and development of OSH.

Andrew Annakin is keen to continue meeting regularly with the Committee, and the Committee is enthusiastic about this.

The Committee also met with Darrin Goulding, General Manager of Injury Prevention and Client Services for ACC and Phillip McIntosh, National Manager Workplace Safety of Injury Prevention and Client Services for ACC. Darrin Goulding discussed the capability of Injury Prevention and Client Services.