Podcasts about Worksafe

Scrutiny of ministers for ACC and Worksafe raises a disconnect between work safety law change and its cost. No modelling, no discussion, no budget, no problem.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In part two, "Organised Thuggery" - that's the description New Plymouth mayor Max Brough used to describe a mass burnout event involving nearly 100 vehicles. he's had enough and is looking for a fix to the problem. Then, in a social media video produced to promote funding to tackle the spread of wilding pines, ACT MP and former fed Farmers Andrew Hoggard appears to start a chainsaw by pulling on the cord with one hand while holding the main handle mid-air with the other hand. he's using the drop-start method and it's not approved work practice according to Worksafe. The panel hears from Lisa Kendall, a three-time Northern Young farmer of the year and a chainsaw expert, about the safest best way to get your chainsaw humming.

Justin caught a facing issue on fresh UMC pallets before they could ruin parts, while his Shopboard reel blew up on Instagram. Jem survived a surprise WorkSafe inspection and a brutal $8k robot service bill. The guys talk selling out of ATC Pedestals, $5 McMaster parts versus Haas tax, custom ERP dashboards, and a new quest for decent video editing help. Home Assistant just works.Watch on YoutubeDISCUSSED:✍️ Comment or Suggest a TopicShopboard goes off, AirShop integrated$5 skimmer belts on McMaster from Langerman Machine #9452K451Dumb setup for dumb reasonWorkSafe visit (OSHA)Robot maintenance?Justin requests:Video Editing rec?Industrial Engineer rec? IANAE (like IANAL)Lutron Pico

Waikato district nurses say they're at the end of their tether as demand for their services soars. District nurses, who provide care for patients in the community rather than in hospitals or clinics, say they're severely understaffed and it's causing in burnout, stress and leading to widespread resignations. They also say it's putting their safety at risk. It comes as WorkSafe considers a complaint from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation that Health New Zealand's failure to improve district nurses' working conditions amounts to a breach of the Health and Safety Act. Bella Craig reports.

It has been revealed the fire service got a 111 call about a slip near the Mt Maunganui holiday park nearly four hours before a fatal landslide. FENZ said call takers notified the Tauranga City Council three minutes later. However, the landslip that was referenced in the 111 call did not affect life or property and therefore Fire and Emergency did not send crews to attend. WorkSafe has started gathering information on the tragedy and is considering whether to launch a formal investigation. Meanwhile the minister for Emergency Management and Recovery is working on a support package for the affected areas. Minister for Emergency Management Mark Mitchell spoke to Lisa Owen.

Concerns about how many investigations will be held into Mount Maunganui's deadly landslide, with six people still buried and careful recovery work continuing. WorkSafe will look into organisations with a duty of care at the holiday park, the Council's reviewing events beforehand, and Fire and Emergency could launch a probe. The Institute of Safety Management's Mike Cosman says police will investigate on behalf of the Coroner, and could do so in their own right too. He says others may also be looking deeper. "One of my concerns here is that when you've got multiple simultaneous investigations going on - is witnesses, whanau, first responders having to retell their stories multiple times to multiple different agencies. It can be incredibly traumatic." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you know what's really starts to rub me the wrong way? It's governments telling us to do more things. This morning, we've got the government coming out with yet another hotline. Sounds fancy. Sounds efficient. It's a hotline to report road cones. A road cone tipline. Sorry, but if the problem is that there are too many road cones on the road, and they're unnecessary for the work being carried out —which half of them appear to be— then why do you need us to tell you that? Surely if we just had better, clearer rules and less bullshit, we wouldn't need a road cone tipline. A pothole tipline. A 105 theft tipline. A beneficiary tipline. Either you know what you're doing and you've got smart people and smart systems, or you don't. And every time I hear of another tipline I realise, they have no idea. Tiplines are the equivalent of a safety calming measure. Those weird speed bumps or narrowing roads, designed to make people feel better when driving around. All they really do is piss people off and reveal how rubbish your road designs are to begin with. Just think about this: There's a bunch of road cones in a dumb place on a busy road. WorkSafe and NZTA and Council people drive past this busy spot every day. Barbara in her little Honda Civic, she drives past. She calls it in. Barry in his truck and trailer. He calls it in. Sally picks the kids up at 3pm from school every day. They all ring the tipline. They all report the same thing. It will then be somebody's job to sort through the tips. Somebody else will triage the tips. That's two jobs. In three weeks, Barry, Sally, and Barb get a letter. Because the post only runs two days a week. The letter says we're looking into the issue for you. Meanwhile, 100 government or council people have walked or driven past the road cone Armageddon and nothing's changed. Tiplines are plasters over grenades. The only time I want to ring a tipline is speak to the actual dump. In its first 156 days in office, the National-led government has set up 37 reviews, inquiries or advisory panels – some of which are being led by former ministers, including Bill English, Steven Joyce, Murray McCully and Roger Sowry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr John Malios is an experienced general practitioner and medico-legal examiner, retiring after a 50-year career in general practice. He founded the Oakleigh and District Health Centre (now The General Practitioner) in 1972 and went on to serve as Convenor of Medical Panels Victoria (2012–2017) and Deputy Convenor (2007–2012). He continues to contribute as a Presiding Member on Medical Panel Tribunals and has extensive expertise in medico-legal impairment assessment under the AMA Guides for WorkSafe and Wrongs Act claims. Dr Malios also delivers training for the Personal Injury Education Foundation (PIEF). Currently, he is an occupational health consultant in private industry, Medical Advisor and committee member of Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Australia, a member of the consumer advocacy group for Primary Aldosteronism, and an Associate Investigator with the Hudson Institute's Primary Aldosteronism Centre of Excellence (PACE). Dr Malios is a Life Member of the AMA and RACGP, and a member of the Australian College of Legal Medicine.

It's thought there are few silver linings to come from the Government's road cone hotline. The pilot, which encouraged the public to report excessive cone use, ends tomorrow, six months ahead of schedule. Site visits found 86% of worksites were already compliant, and Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden says the trial has done what it needed to do. CEO of traffic management company Parallaxx Dave Tilton told Andrew Dickens some of the data collection may be useful. He says it brought the road control authorities including NZTA, WorkSafe, and councils together well. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke Van Velden said she doesn't believe the changes the government is making to Worksafe will lead to another Pike River disaster. Van Velden has been meeting with the families of some of the 29 men who were killed in an explosion at the mine 15 years ago. The Pike Families are calling for more health and safety inspectors, more education, more checks, and a corporate manslaughter law. Political Reporter Lillian Hanly spoke to Lisa Owen.

Some Pike River mine families are still fighting for a corporate manslaughter law 15 years after the diaster that killed 29 men. The deaths lead to the creation of WorkSafe and the 2015 Health and Safety at Work Act, which passed with cross-party support. A Royal Commission of Inquiry found New Zealand's old safety laws lacked the teeth, and there were catastrophic failings in the mine company's systems, despite numerous warnings of a potential catastrophe. Now the government is changing the Health and Safety at Work Act to quote "cut through unnecessary red tape" holding businesses back. Nigel Hampton KC spoke to Lisa Owen.

It's the 15th anniversary today of the Pike River mine disaster, and on this anniversary, unions are calling for a corporate manslaughter law to be enshrined in legislation, as it is in other countries like the UK, Australia, Canada. 29 men were killed when an explosion ripped through the Pike River mine on the West Coast of the South Island. And despite reforms following Pike River, including the creation of WorkSafe in 2013 and the Health and Safety at Work Act in 2015, New Zealand continues to record twice as many workplace deaths as Australia, four times as many as the UK per capita. Workplace injuries and illnesses cost the country an estimated $5 billion each year. A new Public Health Communication Centre briefing by leading health and safety experts finds that weak enforcement, inadequate fines, and a poor understanding of legal duties by employers and political leaders are key reasons for the lack of progress. And it warns that proposed changes to shift the regulator's focus from enforcement to advice, alongside ACC's move to deprioritise injury prevention, risks further undermining worker protection. And yet, when you look at the health and safety legislation and the red tape and the orange road cones, not a single road cone seems to have helped in preventing workers' lives being lost. We're 25th in the OECD. Australia is a dangerous place to work. And yet somehow, we manage to record twice as many workplace deaths as they do. What is it? Are workers in high-risk jobs depending on the rules to keep themselves safe? To keep their mates safe? Rather than using their own nous and judgement they think, well, the rules are there, I don't have to think about it. I don't have to think about what I'm doing. Are too many workers turning up impaired by alcohol or drugs, and that impairs their judgement? They don't see things, or they cut corners, or they're tired, fatigued. Are bosses cutting corners and risking people's lives? Or are the bosses putting in health and safety protocols that workers are simply ignoring? What is it about this country that means we are so bad at either looking after ourselves and our mates, or finding ways to protect our workers? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police and ambulance officers are facing widespread threats of violence and suffering burnout according to research released by Worksafe. 

I'm right behind the call being made today for helmets to be made mandatory at recreational ice skating and roller skating rinks. For it to be a legal requirement that if you want to go and have a skate with your mates, you have to wear a helmet. Because if it's good enough for helmets to be compulsory on bikes, then why isn't it good enough for helmets to be mandatory when someone's on a set of skates? When you think about it, you are far more likely to ride a bike than go to an ice skating rink or a roller skating rink. Which, surely, means that skating is way more risky. So helmets have to be non-negotiable. In fact, I'd go beyond just ice skating rinks and roller skating rinks, I think we should be doing the same at the likes of ski fields and skate parks. But back to the tragic death of 13-year-old Kymani Hiley-Hetaraka during a school visit to the Alpine Ice Skating Rink in Christchurch 15 months ago. Her sister was also on the trip and the two of them were skating together when Kymani —who wasn't wearing a helmet— fell and hit her head. She was, initially, able to speak and she asked her sister to get her some Panadol. But she then started having a seizure, was taken to hospital, and died two days later after being taken off life support. Since the tragedy the rink has voluntarily made helmets mandatory. But there is no law requiring it and Kymani's parents —Curtis Gwatkin and Maraea Hetaraka— think that needs to change. They're saying today that they want the Government to make helmets mandatory at all recreational ice skating and roller skating rinks. And I couldn't agree more. They're speaking out because, initially, they wanted to wait for WorkSafe to do its investigation, thinking that someone would be prosecuted. But that didn't happen. WorkSafe found that there were no health and safety breaches by the ice-skating rink. No breaches by Kymani's school. And no breaches by the external organisation contracted by the school to run the trip. But that's not good enough as far as Curtis and Maraea are concerned. They say it's left them feeling frustrated and angry, and who can blame them? They're determined to keep fighting on this one and plan to start a petition to try and force the Government to make helmets mandatory at all ice skating and roller skating rinks. It's a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health New Zealand has just under two weeks to comply with a WorkSafe order to put systems in place to protect workers from psychosocial risks at work. Health New Zealand Interim Chief HR Officer Robyn Shearer spoke to Corin Dann.

Officials say the government's approach to overhauling workplace safety risks repeating the failures identified after Pike River. Council for Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff spoke to Corin Dann.

A decade after major overhauls to health and safety in New Zealand, WorkSafe is getting a reboot. Critics aren't convinced it will save lives. With more that 70 workplace deaths in New Zealand every year, a WorkSafe reboot isn't surprising. But critics say the changes aren't likely to save lives.…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Questions to Ministers CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? LAURA McCLURE to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: What recent announcements has she made about reforming WorkSafe? NANCY LU to the Minister of Finance: What recent announcements has she made about business tax? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement about the Budget that "Wages are forecast to grow faster than the inflation rate, making wage earners better off, on average, in real terms"; if so, what is the effect on wage growth over the forecast period of removing the $12.8 billion from future pay equity claims? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform: What announcements has he made on reforming national direction under the Resource Management Act 1991? TANYA UNKOVICH to the Minister for Resources: What announcements has he made regarding energy security in New Zealand? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement in relation to emergency department wait times, "I expect Health New Zealand to empower clinicians at local levels to fix bottlenecks in real time"; if so, is he confident this has occurred ahead of winter 2025? Dr HAMISH CAMPBELL to the Minister of Education: What announcements has she made regarding learning support as part of Budget 2025? Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon JAN TINETTI to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Does she stand by her proposed changes to WorkSafe; if so, why? PAULO GARCIA to the Associate Minister of Housing: What recent announcements has he made about social housing tenancies? Question to Member Hon Dr DUNCAN WEBB to the Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee: Why did he respond to the referral by the House to the Finance and Expenditure Committee of the Regulatory Standards Bill with a six-month reporting deadline by issuing a call for submissions with a four-week deadline?

New Zealand's roadcone hotline is being launched today, as the Government announces a suite of cultural changes for WorkSafe. It's being instructed to move away from enforcement, and engage in earlier risk management. WorkSafe says it's well placed to deliver on these expectations. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says these changes have been met with a mixed response. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Safety experts are sceptical about a new Government directive for WorkSafe. The health and safety regulator has been instructed to shift focus from enforcement, to offering advice. Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden says it is currently feared for its punitive actions - and not appreciated for guidelines. But the Institute of Safety Management's Jeff Sissons says that characterisation from the Minister is not what he hears about the agency. "Most employers haven't seen or heard much of WorkSafe. I take the Minister at her word, she's heard from some employers - but that's certainly not something I've come across." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Rob Campbell and Maurice Williamson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Will we read Jacinda's new book? What are we expecting? Are we annoyed there's no apology over the Covid response? The new WorkSafe changes kicked in - are we glad the Government is dialling back on the health and safety enforcement or do we think this is a step too far? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WorkSafe is given six months to pursue fewer 'novel' prosecutions or face deeper restructuring. A Road of National Significance north of Levin is cut down to two lanes, while Microsoft cuts its global workforce as concerns rise about AI taking jobs. Dileepa Fonseka is a Senior Correspondent with BusinessDesk

Changes are looming for New Zealand's workplace safety watchdog. Political reporter Russell Palmer has more.

The government is shifting WorkSafe's priorities from enforcement, to giving more advice. Council of Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff spoke to Corin Dann.

The government's making big changes to WorkSafe, the agency tasked with keeping workers safe including shifting in priorities from enforcement to giving advice. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The government is shifting WorkSafe's priorities from enforcement, to giving more advice. Business New Zealand chief executive Katherine Rich spoke to Corin Dann.

In today's episode, the government's making big changes to WorkSafe, the agency tasked with keeping workers safe including shifting in priorities from enforcement to giving advice, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority says there are some energy-saving things that you can do that could help cut your bills, without denting your lifestyle too much, two New Zealand high school students have been victorious at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Ohio, and we cross the Tasman to get the latest from Kerry-Anne Walsh.

The Workplace Relations Minister hopes WorkSafe's incoming culture shift will show they're there to help, not hurt. The Government's instructed the regulator to move away from enforcement and engage early to support risk management. It starts with today's opening of the road cone hotline. Minister Brooke van Velden told Mike Hosking businesses shouldn't have to sweat the small stuff. She says there's a culture of over-compliance and too much paperwork, instead of a focus on the risk of death or serious injury. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Decontamination work is underway in the Wellington suburb of Newtown, after a "wet slurry" of asbestos was dislodged by waterblasters on a roof, and then blown onto nearby homes. The council and Worksafe say there is no risk to the general public, but to keep residents safe, they're removing the gardens from a handful of nearby properties. RNZ's Kate Green spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Government's asking people to dob in too many road cones at work sites. A telephone hotline is planned - for people to report excesses. It'll be manned and funded by WorkSafe. It's been announced at the same time as Health and Safety at Work Act changes, with a focus on reducing the load on smaller businesses. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper has voiced support with this idea. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode of the Bend Don't Break podcast features Katie West, a civilian transcriptionist for the RCMP, who opens up about her journey through chronic stress and PTSD. Often overlooked, civilian staff like transcriptionists and 911 operators are regularly exposed to traumatic content, yet lack the same mental health support systems available to front-line officers. Katie shares her deeply personal experiences with PTSD, detailing the toll of listening to traumatic cases for hours on end and the difficulties she faced when seeking help. She discusses the systemic gaps in mental health support for civilian roles, her challenges with WorkSafe, and the need for greater understanding and resources for "trauma-exposed professionals." Through her story, Katie advocates for change and sheds light on the unseen struggles of those working behind the scenes in law enforcement, urging for a more inclusive approach to mental health care for all first responder staff.

Mark Beyer and Mark Pownall discuss Chris Ellison and Mineral Resources; tender reforms; a report on Perth's future; Perron Group results; Angela Bennett; WorkSafe; and a preview of the next magazine.

In this episode, hosts Gordon and Jose welcome seasoned restaurateur Peter De Bruyn, who shares his 30 years of experience in the industry. Peter, the executive chef at the Strathcona Hotel and board chair at the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association, dives into hot topics like tipping culture, California's minimum wage hike, and how restaurants are navigating increased costs. He also discusses the challenges related to labor shortages, food supply issues, and the impact of recent CRA and WorkSafe regulations on tipping practices. Tune in for valuable insights and strategies for restaurant owners and operators. 01:22 Peter De Bruyn's Background and Career 03:24 Changes in the Restaurant Industry 05:09 Impact of Minimum Wage Increases 14:20 Tipping Culture and Challenges 18:18 No Tipping Policy: Pros and Cons 27:34 Managing Tips and CRA Regulations ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬  Audio Podcast Links Spotify | Apple | Google | Amazon | RSS | Download Leave your suggestions for new topics in the comments! We read every single one.

As the summer continues to heat up, legislators in Sacramento are finally moving forward with protections for workers who work in overheated indoor conditions across the state. The rules have been caught up in limbo following the state prison system's concern that it would simply be too expensive to renovate their facilities to make it cool enough for safe working conditions. The rules have now moved forward through the State's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board for all hot indoor workplaces in the state except for in California prisons.  Joining us to discuss are Rachel van Geenhoven and Brian Kaneda. Rachel is communications director with WorkSafe, a California organization that uses policy advocacy, legal services, and movement building, to promote and protect the basic right of all people to a safe and healthy workplace. Brian is deputy director of Californians United for a Responsible Budget, or CURB, which is an organization dedicated to reducing imprisonment in our state by developing economic analyses about how it's actually financially better for all of us, to reduce prisons. Check out WorkSafe's website: https://worksafe.org/ Check out CURB's website: https://www.curbprisonspending.org/ —- Subscribe to this podcast: https://plinkhq.com/i/1637968343?to=page Get in touch: lawanddisorder@kpfa.org Follow us on socials @LawAndDis: https://twitter.com/LawAndDis; https://www.instagram.com/lawanddis/ The post New Heat Protection for CA Workers Excludes Prisons w/ Rachel van Geenhoven & Brian Kaneda appeared first on KPFA.

Energy Minister Simeon Brown wants appropriate accountability over a fallen electricity tower.   Thousands of Northland residents experienced outages yesterday after a transmission tower toppled northwest of Auckland.  The Electricity Authority says it's investigating and Simeon Brown's asked WorkSafe to do the same.  Electricity Authority Chief Executive, Sarah Gillies, told Heather du Plessis-Allan “Consumers have a right to have confidence in their electricity supply.”  Gillies said “We're the regulator – and we're independent.”   LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Official papers show a long-awaited scheme to boost work safety programmes will be axed. WorkSafe was meant to show a return of $1.10 on each dollar it got from ACC for the programmes - it managed just 20 cents. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

WorkSafe has found shortcomings at Fire and Emergency - or FENZ - over how two volunteer firefighters died in a landslide in Cyclone Gabrielle. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

WorkSafe is investigating the death of a teenager at a farm in the Wheatbelt over the weekend. 

The proceeds of crime laws have traditionally been used to target gangs and drug dealers. Now police have their eyes on a new target, and that's left businesses feeling vulnerable.

The lawyer for the Whakaari White Island owners is calling for an independent public inquiry into the deadly eruption saying government agencies including WorkSafe should be held accountable. Five companies, including that of the island's owners, have been fined and ordered to pay millions of dollars in compensation for failings leading up to the disaster and a coronial inquiry is still to come. But lawyer James Cairney wants a Royal Commission to investigate the role of multiple government officials. Amy Williams has the story.

An aunt's five-year fight for her nephew's death to be fully investigated has ended with a firm no from WorkSafe. A coroner told WorkSafe to reconsider what it did after two young casual workers, Jake Ginders and Floyd Harris, both on learner licences, crashed near Woodville in 2019. WorkSafe has now told the men's families it has done enough and will not investigate further. It made a visit to the labour hire firm AWF months after the crash. Jake Ginders' aunt Diane Chandler of Levin says society is the loser.

WorkSafe is pulling out of funding safety programmes to the tune of up to $15 million a year, skittling one in the high-risk forestry industry. But ACC, which gives WorkSafe the money, says putting a stop to that will make no difference to how much is spent on safety programmes overall. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

A bullying investigation into one of the country's most senior prosecutors has found her behaviour towards staff was challenging, critical, and unpredictable but did not meet the WorkSafe definition of a bully. Crown Law has released the results of an inquiry into claims about Crown Solicitor Jacinda Hamilton. The staff who believe they were bullied have told RNZ they are shocked and dismayed at the findings. Investigative reporter Guyon Espiner spoke to Corin Dann.

We relive some truly horrific Victorian ads and vote on TMOTW. #chooselove Link to the compilation we watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuF9Wkgn0jwSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelly talks to Kathryn about some of the court cases she's been covering recently, and also the WorkSafe charge the Rotorua Lakes Council is facing. Plus Makuini Warbrick's inspirational story about how she lost 50 kg - naturally.

WorkSafe is seeking independent advice about a leaking oil and gas well in the Kupe Field off the coast of Taranaki. The KS-2 well has been leaking a small amount of gas since at least 2018 - a fact that the Environmental Protection Authority only revealed when forced to by the Ombudsman. Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has more.

A WorkSafe investigation has found an accident, which left an Auckland scaffolder with no arms, was preventable. Jahden Nelson was working in the West Auckland suburb of Massey last year dismantling scaffolding when a steel pole he was holding touched an overhead powerline giving him a severe electric shock. Both his arms had to be amputated and Nelson now needs daily assistance for the rest of his life. Paul West from WorkSafe oversaw the investigation. West spoke to Corin Dann.

Frustrations are building over slow progress to reassess manufacturers deemed to be putting tradies at high risk of silica dust exposure. Fatal lung disease silicosis can develop after breathing in silica dust when dry-cutting artificial stone - the type used for kitchen benchtops. In February this year, WorkSafe identified 78 businesses who were not compliant with protective measures to keep workers safe from silica dust inhalation. But as of July 31st, only 17 reassessment visits had been completed, and of those, some were still not effectively managing risks. In 2020, ACC developed a tool to identify people at risk of accelerated silicosis. As of August 1st, it had 190 claims lodged for assessment. The Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) has written to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety pushing for more urgency on the issue, saying the current arrangements fail to keep workers safe. In a response the Minister says it's increasingly clear it's an issue, but WorkSafe is taking a stricter approach to enforcement. Professor Lin Fritschi was active in the campaign to ban silica products in Australia - a move it is now fast-tracking, becoming the first country in the world to do so. Professor Fritschi and NZCTU president Richard Wagstaff speak with Kathryn Ryan.