Kia ora koutou and happy new year.

Welcome to the first work-related health newsletter for 2023.

Devastating weather has resulted in a very difficult time for a number of people across the North Island.

Whatever the conditions, workers across Aotearoa must be kept safe and healthy, and they must be able to raise health and safety concerns. 

As we all know, good, clear information is critical - both during an emergency and in our daily mahi.

You can find some new guidance and tools below, along with other helpful resources on our website.

Your feedback helps us to provide the most useful updates to you. Feel free to let us know what you’d like to see in this newsletter by replying to this email.

Thank you for your continued mahi and support to improve the health of workers in Aotearoa.

Ngā mihi nui

As extreme and unprecedented weather continues in parts of the North Island, businesses and organisations need to manage risks to make sure working conditions are safe. Workers have a right to be kept safe and healthy, whether they are involved in cleaning up their workplace or clocking on for a shift in a building affected by recent flooding or storm damage.

There are health risks associated with contaminated floodwater. Floodwaters can carry organisms that cause disease, from the ground surface, septic tanks and sewerage systems.

Additionally, if buildings containing asbestos have been damaged in the floods, this can cause a health risk to the community. When damaged asbestos-containing materials are wet, they are not as dangerous, but once dry they can cause a bigger risk to people’s health if the fibres become airborne and are inhaled.

When buildings and vehicles are flooded or leak during wet weather it’s common that mould will grow in the days and weeks afterwards. Extensive mould growth can be a risk to health and should be dealt with as soon as possible. Those who are immune-compromised or already sick are at a higher risk of health problems.

If it’s unsafe, speak up if you feel able to.

If you have a concern about unsafe work as a result of the recent floods or Cyclone Gabrielle, you should let us know: Notify WorkSafe.

See more information about floods and health on the Ministry of Health website.

This free 90-minute e-learning module has been designed especially for healthcare professionals by the Health Quality and Safety Commission in collaboration with WorkSafe, ACC and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of New Zealand. It introduces how systems thinking and human factors impact healthcare workers’ health, safety, and wellbeing.

Human factors is the scientific discipline concerned with understanding the interactions between people and other parts of the systems they work in. It applies theory, principles, data, and methods to design improvements that optimise both human wellbeing and system performance.

The e-learning will help you to understand human factors in our healthcare system, and how to integrate a te ao Māori perspective.

Carcinogens and airborne exposures account for at least 31% of work-related harm. We have identified controlling and preventing exposure to carcinogens and airborne risks as a priority, that will have a long-term impact on people’s health, safety, and wellbeing.

For those who couldn’t attend our roadshows last year, we‘ve put together a digital resource on how to prevent harm from carcinogens and airborne risks.

• New Zealand Occupational Hygiene Society: Monday 8 - Tuesday 9 May, Christchurch
• Safeguard National Health and Safety Conference: Tuesday 20 - Wednesday 21 June, Auckland and online