NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (NOHSAC)

Minutes of the Meeting

WEDNESDAY, 9 JUNE 2004, 9.30AM TO 2.40PM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING, LEVEL 9, 114-118 LAMBTON QUAY, WELLINGTON.

ATTENDEES
Present: Neil Pearce (NOHSAC Chair), Evan Dryson and Philippa Gander
In Attendance: Mark Wagstaffe and Stephanie Kerruish (NOHSAC Secretariat – Department of Labour),
Carol Slappendel (Occupational Safety and Health Service) between 10.00am to 10.50am
and Julian King and Peter Hibbert (Health Outcomes International) (between 12.30pm to
2.30pm).
Apologies: Anne-Marie Feyer and Selwyn McCracken
Minuted by: Stephanie Kerruish and Mark Wagstaffe
Next Meeting: 18 August 2004
DESCRIPTION RESPONSI BLE TARGET DATE
1. Meeting with the Minister of Labour
The Secretariat provided a copy of the Agenda to Associate Minister of Labour, Hon Ruth Dyson, prior to the meeting. The Associate Minister was unable to attend due to other commitments. Mark Wagstaffe advised the Committee that Hon Ruth Dyson would be able to attend the next meeting for one hour. Action 1 NOHSAC Secretariat is to contact the Office of the Associate Minister of Labour, to confirm Hon Ruth Dyson’s availability and timing for the next meeting. NOHSAC Secretariat June 2004
2. Previous Minutes and Action Points
NOHSAC Minutes of 28 April 2004 – accepted with no changes. Proposed: Evan Dryson; Seconded: Philippa Gander All action points were reviewed. Action 2 (28/4/2004): Committee members to forward a photo and any links they wish to include in the Website against their profile. Action 2 NOHSAC Secretariat to forward another reminder to the Committee. NOHSAC Secretariat June 2004
3. NOHSAC’s Operation
Evan Dryson advised the Committee of his second email address to be added to the contact list.
Action 3 NOHSAC Secretariat to include additional email address to the contact list and forward the list to all Committee members NOHSAC Secretariat June 04
Annual Report
Mark Wagstaffe advised that the NOHSAC Secretariat had received additional changes to the Annual Report. Philippa Gander recommended changes to the third paragraph of the ‘Foreword’ as follows:
Change the first sentence to read: ‘The Committee has been established at a time when it is increasingly being recognised that occupational injury has received disproportionate attention from OSH, at the expense of occupational health, which accounts for a much greater burden of occupational morbidity and mortality.’
The Committee accepted this change.
Action 4 NOHSAC Secretariat will action the changes to the Annual Report and forward a revised version to the Committee. NOHSAC Secretariat June 04
NOHSAC Website
Mark Wagstaffe advised that the Website would be launched by the end of next week. Neil Pearce suggested that the content on the Website be reviewed in six months time.
Carol Slappendel was welcomed to the meeting at 10.00am.
The Committee raised with Carol Slappendel the merging of the Occupational Safety and Health and Employment Relation Services to form the “Workplace” group of the Department of Labour. The Committee felt that, with this change, there may be less of a focus on occupational health. The Committee felt that it would be an appropriate opportunity to forward their views and concerns about this to the Associate Minister of Labour. .
Action 5 NOHSAC Secretariat is to draft a letter to the Associate Minister of Labour and forward this to the Committee for feedback. Once the feedback is received from the Committee, the NOHSAC Secretariat will forward the letter to the Associate Minister of Labour. NOHSAC Committee 14 June 04
Carol Slappendel confirmed with the Committee that the budget bid was successful. The figure of $3.1 million has been approved for the next four years, $1.1 million for NOHSAC and $2.0 million for Occupational Health Research.
The Committee advised Carol Slappendel that the Committee had provided feedback on the Workplace Health and Safety Strategy to the Associate Minister of Labour.
The Committee also discussed the dwindling number of health
professionals within Occupational Health and Safety and having the
proper mix of staff within the regional offices. Carol Slappendel
advised that Mike Cosman is aware of these issues and is reviewing
them. Carol Slappendel suggested that Evan Dryson correspond with
Mike Cosman in regards to the preference on the ‘specialist’ verses
‘one stop’ inspector role.
4. Work Programme
Burden of Occupational Disease and Injury in NZ
Tim Driscoll’s Report
The Committee discussed the draft report in detail and recommended that if the Committee members have any changes, these can be addressed with the peer review. The Committee felt that it would be good to highlight, in bold, the ‘exposures’ within the main text and also list them in an index/appendix for cross-referencing.
Action 6 NOHSAC Secretariat to inform Tim Driscoll that the Committee are comfortable with the changes. NOHSAC Secretariat June 04
Philippa Gander felt that the Report did not cover shift workers.
Action 7 Philippa Gander to forward the relevant information to Tim Driscoll on shift workers. Philippa Gander June 04
Once the final report is received from Tim Driscoll, Neil Pearce and Mark Wagstaffe will work with the Committee to produce the final report. Professor Malcolm Sim and Professor Jeanne Stellman will be reviewing the report on behalf of the Committee.
Review of Methods and Systems used to Measure and Monitor Occupational Disease and Injury Internationally
The Committee discussed the draft Request for Proposal (RFP) and recommended a few changes.
Action 8 NOHSAC Committee to come up with additional potential providers for the International RFP. NOHSAC Committee July 04
Action 9 NOHSAC Secretariat to contact Malcom Sim to check whether it is a possible to advertise in the master mailing list for Epicoh. NOHSAC Secretariat July 04
Action 10 NOHSAC Secretariat to request the contact details of Timo Partanen from Neil Pearce as another provider for the International RFP. NOHSAC Secretariat June 04
Action 11 NOHSAC Secretariat to find out who did the research for the TNO system. NOHSAC Secretariat June 04
Action 12 Neil Pearce to talk to Jeroen to find out who they could approach from either TNO or the Finish Institute of Occupational Health. Neil Pearce June 04
Review of Methods and Systems used to Measure and Monitor Occupational Disease and Injury in New Zealand
Neil Pearce welcomed Julian King and Peter Hibbert from Health Outcomes International Pty Ltd. The Committee discussed the proposed structure of the report that was presented by Julian King and Peter Hibbert.
Peter Hibbert asked if the NOHSAC secretariat could supply them with the contact details for the names mentioned throughout the discussion with the Committee.
Action 13 NOHSAC Secretariat to send Julian King a list of contact names for Mike Cosman, Paul Brown (Statistics NZ), Carol Slappendel and relevant persons from ACC. NOHSAC Secretariat June 04
Action 14 NOHSAC Secretariat is to send Peter Hibbert the contact details for the list of names he forwards to the secretariat. NOHSAC Secretariat June 04
5. Other Matters / Action Points
Action 15 NOHSAC Secretariat to invite Don Matheson, Deputy Director General – Public Health, Ministry of Health as the guest speaker to the next meeting. NOHSAC Secretariat June 04
No other matters discussed.