NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH &

SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (NOHSAC)

Minutes of the Meeting

MONDAY, 6 DECEMBER 2004, 9.30AM TO 4.15PM,

BUSINESS SUITES, LEVEL 5, 22 THE TERRACE, WELLINGTON.

ATTENDEES

Present:

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

In Attendance:

Mark Wagstaffe and Stephanie Kerruish (NOHSAC Secretariat – Department of Labour), Tim Cleary, Business New Zealand (10.00am to 11.00am) and Dr Chris Walls, Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH) (2.00pm to 3.00pm).

Minutes by:

Stephanie Kerruish and Mark Wagstaffe

Next Meeting:

9 March 2005

DESCRIPTION

RESPONSIBLE

TARGET DATE

1. Previous Minutes and Action Points

NOHSAC Minutes of 20 October 2004 – accepted with addition of those who Proposed and Seconded the 18 August 2004 minutes.

Proposed: Anne-Marie; Seconded: Selwyn McCracken.

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

2. NOHSAC’s Operation and Work Programme

The Committee discussed the proposed restructuring of the Department of Labour. Mark Wagstaffe and Selwyn McCracken are to write to the Department of Labour regarding Occupational Coding.

Action 1

Mark Wagstaffe and Selwyn McCracken write to the Department of Labour on input into Occupational Coding

M Wagstaffe

S McCracken

March 05

It was agreed, by the Committee, that Evan Dryson Chair the meetings while Neil Pearce is on sabbatical leave.

The launch of the first report “The Burden of Occupational Disease and Injury in New Zealand” was discussed briefly. Neil Pearce suggested that each Committee member take a turn at presenting future launches.

Mark Wagstaffe advised that within two weeks of the launch of the report, there were 930 visits to the NOHSAC website. The normal number of visits per month is approximately 150.

Budget

Mark Wagstaffe discussed the budget with the Committee and advised that there would be funds available at the end of the financial year, June 2005. The Committee discussed the various options for these funds and it was recommended that the funds be used to enhance the accessibility of information produced by NOHSAC.

Annual Report

It was decided by the Committee that the Annual Report, would include:

- the Committee’s achievements to date
- responses to the first report
- Work programme

Action 2

Mark Wagstaffe to write to agencies seeking responses to the First Report and forward to the Committee for comment

NOHSAC Secretariat

March

2005

Research Database

Action 3

Mark Wagstaffe discussed the possibilities of setting up a Research Database similar to that of NOHSC.

Mark Wagstaffe to commence work on the database with input from agencies such as HRC.

NOHSAC Secretariat

On-going

3. Work Programme

Work Programme 2005/2006

The Committee discussed the need to produce a fourth report to discuss the implementation of measures, at both the structural level and workplace level, to address the problems identified in the first three reports. This fourth report will be entitled “Improving Occupational Health and Safety in New Zealand”.

The topics covered will be:

- Overview
o Costs (Burden of disease and injury, social and economic costs)
o Governance (NZ and International)
Structure
o Implementation
Strategy
Policy
Planning
Workforce
Implementation
(Inviting comments from social partners).

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

It was decided by the Committee to produce a summary report to the Associate Minister of Labour, Hon Ruth Dyson. This would summarise the New Zealand and International reports (which will be included as Appendices) and then make recommendations. The timeline to finalise the report is 1 November 2005.

The Overview will contain the following sections:

General

- Top down, bottom up approaches
- Coding
- Tick boxes
- Disability

Action 4

Mark Wagstaffe and Neil Pearce to draft the General overview

M Wagstaffe

N Pearce

August 2005

Disease

- Routine national surveillance
- Special Projects
- Notification systems (eg. NODS)

Action 5

Neil Pearce and Evan Dryson to draft the Disease section of the summary report.

N Pearce,

E Dryson

August 2005

Action 6

Mark Wagstaffe to contact Dr Chris Walls to review and assist with the Disease section of the summary report.

M Wagstaffe

June 2005

Injury

- Routine surveillance
- Special Projects
- Notification systems

Action 7

Philippa Gander, Selwyn McCracken and Anne-Marie Feyer to draft the Injury section for the summary report.

P Gander,

S McCracken, A Feyer

August 2005

Action 8

Mark Wagstaffe to contact Colin Cryer to review and assist the Injury section of the summary report.

M Wagstaffe

June 2005

4. Other Matters

The Committee met Tim Cleary, Principal Adviser, Business New Zealand, met with the Committee to discuss the work of NOHSAC and issues of concern to Business NZ.

The Committee also met with Dr Chris Walls, Departmental Medical Practitioner, OSH, met with the Committee to discuss the work of NOHSAC and issues of concern to OSH.

Joint Venture with National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC)

Mark Wagstaffe presented the Committee with a draft outline of the proposed joint venture with NOHSC on the International review of Surveillance and Control of Workplace Exposures.

- Routine Surveillance Systems
- Industry Surveillance Systems
- Special projects
- Exposure type

Anne-Marie Feyer advised the committee that there was a ‘Conflict of Interest’ as Anne-Marie is one of NOHSC’s research providers. If approached by NOHSC/NOHSAC, Anne-Marie Feyer will decline due to conflict of interest.

Action 9

Mark to meet with NOHSC and draft the proposed joint venture and forward to the Committee for further comments.

M Wagstaffe

December 04