Brett Murray, Chief Executive of Site Safe NZ, shares his views on asbestos awareness. Asbestos is often seen as a problem of the past. New Zealand banned imports of asbestos products in 2016, but the truth is more confronting: asbestos remains our leading work-related killer, claiming the lives of around 220 people every year. Those […]

As part of a broader package of health and safety reforms, the Government has announced a significant shift in the role and culture of WorkSafe New Zealand. Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says the changes are aimed at transforming WorkSafe from a heavily enforcement-focused regulator into one that engages early with businesses […]

A contamination scare involving asbestos in imported materials has led to temporary closures at Pacific Door Systems (PDS) and triggered a nationwide investigation into fire-rated doors. The issue centres on FRB core, a fire-retardant board widely used in the manufacture of Pyropanel fire doors. Recent testing has confirmed traces of asbestos in some batches imported […]

In a move towards sustainability, the Auckland Council has chosen to deconstruct and dismantle buildings rather than demolish them, aiming to divert construction and demolition waste from landfills. This approach not only looks to reduce waste but also supports the city’s goal of achieving zero waste by 2040. Buildings are carefully dismantled to recover reusable […]

It feels like a ‘one-in-100-year’ weather event now happens every year. Flooding and landslides in the Nelson-Tasman region are the latest reminder of how vulnerable New Zealand is to extreme weather, and how we must prepare accordingly. One of the most destructive costs is forestry slash: the woody debris of branches, treetops, and even whole […]

A striking example of the consequences of poor ventilation and moisture control emerged recently in Wellington, where an abandoned home became home to an industrial-sized puffball of mould. The overgrown fungal growth drew attention not just for its size but for the severe health and safety risks associated with unchecked indoor mould. The 1980s Khandallah […]