Minutes of the Meeting

ATTENDEES

Present:

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

In Attendance:

Mark Wagstaffe and Stephanie Kerruish (NOHSAC Secretariat – Department of Labour), Carol Slappendel (Occupational Safety and Health Service) between 10.00am to 10.30am, Mike Cosman and Frank Darby (Occupational Safety and Health Service) between 11.00am to 12.00noon, Andrea ‘t Mannetje (Centre for Public Health Research) 2.00pm to 3.15pm and Paul Brown and Darren Evans (Statistics New Zealand) between 2.30pm and 3.15pm.

Apologies:

Nil

Minuted by:

Stephanie Kerruish and Mark Wagstaffe

Next Meeting:

9 June 2004

DESCRIPTION

RESPONSIBLE

TARGET DATE

1. Meeting with the Minister of Labour

The Secretariat provided a briefing paper to the recently appointed Associate Minister of Labour, Hon Ruth Dyson, prior to the meeting. The Associate Minister was unable to attend due to other commitments.

Neil Pearce and Mark Wagstaffe met with Hon Ruth Dyson, on 8 April 2004 to introduce themselves and explain the functions of NOHSAC.

The Minister of Labour, Hon Paul Swain and Hon Ruth Dyson, have both advised that they are able to attend NOHSAC’s meeting on 18 August 2004.

Neil Pearce discussed the importance of keeping the roles of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) separate from Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

2. Previous Minutes and Action Points

NOHSAC Minutes of 25 February 2004 – accepted with no changes.

Proposed: Evan Dryson; Seconded: Philippa Gander

All action points were reviewed.

Action C8 – Completed

Action 4 (15/12) – Completed

Action 6 (15/12) – Completed

Action 9 (15/12) - Completed

Action 10 (15/12) – Completed

Actions 1 to 16 (25/2/04) - Completed

3. NOHSAC’s Operation

Mark Wagstaffe advised that from this meeting Carol Slappendel would be attending the meeting on behalf of the Department of Labour as an invited guest. Neil Pearce expressed the Committee’s appreciation for the work she has done in the past.

Communications Strategy

As part of the Committee being seen as independent from OSH, a suggested NOHSAC logo was presented for the Committee’s comment. The proposed logo was approved.

Action 1

Annual Report

The report will be a brief summary of work to date. A word document will be sent to Committee members for comments

Neil Pearce to provide a general overview for the Annual Report.

Secretariat to forward a draft copy to all Committee members.

Neil Pearce

Secretariat

May 04

NOHSAC Website

A draft version of the NOHSAC website was reviewed by members during the morning tea break. Committee members were satisfied with the content. Once the website is established, the Committee suggested entering some ‘plain English’ documents with case studies and recommendations.

The Secretariat asked Committee members if they wish to have a photo and a link included in the Website, to forward it through to the Secretariat.

Action 2

Committee members to forward a photo and any links they wish to include in the Website against their profile.

NOHSAC Committee

May 04

Minister’s report – Burden of Occupational Disease and Injury in New Zealand

The Secretariat provided a sample of a lay person’s report – Lost Lives – Work Related deaths in British Columbia in 2001. This was an example of how we could produce a similar report to ensure coverage to a wide range of people. The Committee were satisfied with the ‘Lost Lives’ sample and are happy to produce a lay person’s report similar to this. Consideration has to be given to the impact and consequences of the report. The report also needs to link into the ‘Workplace Health and Safety Strategy’.

Workplace Health and Safety Strategy

Carol Slappendel asked if the Committee would be able to comment on the Workplace Health and Safety Strategy (WHSS). The committee advised that this was not part of it’s terms of reference since it reported directly to the Minister and would not get involved with advising OSH directly. However, if the Minister requested advice on the Strategy then this would be included in the work programme. The Chair advised Carol Slappendel that committee members would be able to comment on the report as individuals.

Carol Slappendel advised that the Department would be providing Hon Ruth Dyson with a draft copy of the draft strategy by the end of the week. The Strategy identifies seven approaches to strengthen workplace health and safety. Included in the Strategy will be ‘priorities’. Once NOHSAC’s report is presented in October, these priorities would be reviewed.

4. Work Programme

Burden of Occupational Disease and Injury in NZ

Tim Driscoll’s Report

The Committee discussed the report in detail and recommended changes to the report.

Action 3

NOHSAC Secretariat to contact Tim Driscoll to discuss the recommended changes by the Committee.

Secretariat

April 04

Action 4

Evan Dryson to come up with a list of additional disease/conditions specific to NZ, which don’t seem to be covered in the report and forward them to the Secretariat.

Evan Dryson

May 04

Action 5

Selwyn McCracken to draft a paragraph on Maori/Non-Maori statistics and lack of information.

Selwyn McCracken

May 04

Action 6

NOHSAC Secretariat to find out whether further details can be extracted from the Table (by Injury, by Industry).

Secretariat

May 04

Action 7

Anne-Marie Feyer to provide Andrea ’t Mannetje an updated Table to replace Table 2 of the report.

Anne-Marie Feyer

May 04

5. Other Matters / Action Points

Anne-Marie Feyer asked the Committee if it was happy for her to use of some of the information, produced by Andrea for the report, in a paper that she will be giving in Boston. The Committee decided that due to the fact that the information had come from pre-published papers they could see no problem with her doing so.

Action 8

NOHSAC Secretariat to commence working on the draft RFP for Surveillance Systems. (International)

Secretariat

May 04

Action 9

NOHSAC Secretariat to forward updated List of Research Providers.

Secretariat

May 04

The Chair made a suggestion that at the Epicoh conference being held in October, NOHSAC organise a mini symposium on Surveillance.

There was discussion around having a formal peer review of the report. Names that were mentioned were James Leigh and Jeanne Mager Stellman from NIOSH.

Action 10

Anne Marie Feyer to forward NIOSH contact details to NOSHAC Secretariat.

Mike Cosman, National Operations Manager and Frank Darby, Senior Policy Advisor of OSH met with the Committee to discuss the work of NOHSAC and issues of concern to OSH.

Paul Brown, Injury Information Manager and Darren Evans of Statistics New Zealand met with the Committee to discuss the Injury Statistics Development Project that they are currently working on.

Anne-Marie Feyer

May 04