New guidelines aim to simplify compliance process.
New Zealand's Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety, Brooke van Velden, has announced plans to create safe harbours of deemed compliance through Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs). The goal is to increase certainty for businesses and workers about their health and safety duties.
As part of her health and safety reform, Ms van Velden wants to shift the focus from complex regulations to practical guidelines. She believes that many people struggle to understand what "reasonably practicable" means in managing risks, leading to overcompliance and a focus on paperwork rather than actions. The minister is introducing changes to allow individuals and groups to initiate work on ACOPs, which will be approved against set standards.
The use of ACOPs aims to provide clarity and support innovation in industries where regulations may not yet be necessary. These changes are part of the wider health and safety system reform and will be progressed through legislation later this year.