Service
Health and Safety
Summary
Good health and safety is not just a legal obligation, it's also a vital part of running a successful business. We can work with you to create and implement effective health and safety systems, policies, and procedures that will help your people work safely and productively. We can also help navigate the sometimes complex regulatory framework and compliance requirements to ensure you meet their governance and leadership responsibilities, and provide clear and practical advice on how to manage risk.
When things go wrong, we are here to support you in the aftermath of incidents. We can be on the ground helping with crisis management, and regularly assist with post-incident investigations, so you can learn lessons to make your organisation safer and stronger in the future. We can guide you through dealings with WorkSafe New Zealand (and other regulators when relevant), the Police and Coroners during their investigations, protecting your interests.
Our team of specialist health and safety lawyers has extensive experience in working with private companies, public sector agencies, and not for profit groups across a broad range of industries. We know how to handle any situation with professionalism and sensitivity.
Key services
Crisis and incident response
Compliance and risk management
Stakeholder engagement
Training and education
Policy and procedure review
Verification and assurance
Governance
Work Highlights
- Representing White Island Tours in its defence of charges laid by WorkSafe in relation to the Whakaari/White Island eruption, New Zealand's worst workplace health and safety disaster in the last 15 years.
- Representing Independent Traffic Control in its defence of a charge laid by WorkSafe after a traffic fatality in roadworks during the cleanup after catastrophic weather events in New Zealand in early 2023.
- Representing Mansons TCLM in its successful defence of a charge laid by WorkSafe after an incident on one of its construction sites in 2021, when a subcontractor's employee was killed.
- Advising local authorities on legal compliance, risk mitigation and strategy for a large-scale urban redevelopment projects.
- Advising a government agency on risk management in the construction and commissioning of a transformational public infrastructure project.
- Advising a tourism operator on strategy, governance and legal compliance/regulatory issues, following notifiable events being considered by WorkSafe, including advising on the operator's preparedness if any future health and safety incidents arise.
- Advising businesses affected by asbestos and asbestos containing material, helping them understand how to manage relevant risks and follow correct procedures for the safe removal and disposal of asbestos. This includes advising on engagement with people potentially exposed to the asbestos and how to implement plans for ongoing monitoring of these individuals so that any negative impacts are identified and addressed.
- Advising a major agriculture organisation on the management of psychosocial hazards in its complex and time sensitive seasonal operations.
"Excellent knowledge in aspects of health and safety law, and the behaviours of regulators during their enquiry."
Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Guide 2024