Source: Worksafe New Zealand
WorkSafe New Zealand has issued a four-year plan resetting how it operates, to improve health and safety outcomes nationwide.
The Statement of Intent 2025–2029 puts educating and engaging businesses in the spotlight, whilst delivering proportionate enforcement when needed.
We know most businesses and workers want to do the right thing, and we want to make sure they have the guidance and support they need from the regulator.
The consequences of not taking the right health and safety actions are high and very real. We will influence business and workers to get it right from the start.
We will focus on managing critical risks that cause the most serious workplace harm. This means putting our effort into reducing acute, chronic and catastrophic harm, with particular focus on the high-risk sectors of agriculture, construction, forestry, and manufacturing.
What’s changing?
The Statement of Intent outlines significant investment in inspector training and capability to ensure businesses experience consistent, constructive engagement across the country.
Businesses can expect more upfront guidance so they feel confident making decisions relating to health and safety. We’re building trust and consistency while making interactions faster and easier through digital tools and better feedback systems.
“Our vision is simple: everyone who goes to work should come home healthy and safe. Most businesses want to do the right thing, and for them our role is to make it easier to understand what’s required and act on it,” says WorkSafe’s chief executive, Sharon Thompson.
Key changes include:
- Clearer guidance and support – practical information tailored to real-world conditions.
- Targeted engagement – proactive partnerships and sector-led initiatives in high-risk industries.
- Proportionate enforcement – fair, consistent action when obligations aren’t met, with greater use of enforceable undertakings as alternatives to prosecution.
We’re investing in digital technology and data insights to make compliance simpler and more efficient.
We will report back on our progress in our quarterly and annual reporting, to show how we’re tracking to achieve our performance measures.
