On this page:
- Roles and responsibilities
- Property-related health and safety management
- Comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act
Roles and responsibilities
Health and Safety is everyone’s responsibility.
The Health and Safety at Work Act introduced a new approach to workplace health and safety by adopting broad coverage and involving all types of modern business and working relationships.
The Act requires Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) such asIndividual board members (including the Ministry of Education, Boards of Trustees, Contractors and Consultants,principal) are responsible for making sure the school is doing what it needs to consult, cooperate and coordinate activities with other PCBUs who sharedo to ensure the health and safety dutiesof workers and others.
Staff, parents and others may have specific responsibilities for specific roles, for example contractors on the same matter.a school construction site.
- Consulting with PCBUs Factsheet
Worker participation – if it doesn’t look right call it (YouTube) - Multiple PCBU’s - Upstreaming Businesses (YouTube)
- Overlapping Duties under the HSWA (YouTube)
Property-related health and safety management
Find health and safety guidance specific to school property.
Managing contractors
- Property projects: Contractor health and safety
- Construction phase
Consulting with PCBUs Factsheet - Police vetting
Multiple PCBU’s - Upstreaming Businesses (YouTube) - Keeping Safe on a Construction Site
Overlapping Duties under the HSWA(YouTube) - Worker participation – if it doesn’t look right call it (YouTube)
Police vetting
Critical risk activitiesWorksites
- Confined spaces: Planning entry and working safely in a confined space (WorkSafe NZ website)
- Asbestos management
Construction phase - Electical equipment testing in schools
Keeping Safe on a Construction Site (YouTube) - Electrical work in schools
- Particular hazardous work (WorkSafe NZ website)
Urgent work
Facilities and fixtures
- Boilers for heating
- Cell phone towers
- Fencing
- Joinery and hardware installed in schools
- Septic tanks
- Swimming pools at schools
Hazardous materials and substancesElectrics
Materials and substances
Asbestos management- Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated timber in schools
- Glass installed in schools
- Hazardous substances on school sites
- Managing your lab's hazardous substances (WorkSafe NZ website)
- Lead-based paint
- PCBs in light fittings
- Poisonous plants
Drinking water
Weathertightness
Fire
'Specified systems and features'
Comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act
To help your school comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act,act, you can review your health and safety system against the 11 key components of an effective health and safety system:
The following guide is a supplementary resource to support people involved in governance and leadership at schools/kura to develop a clear understanding of what the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 means for them.
Read the Health and Safety at Work Act:
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (Legislation website)