Health & Safety Health & Safety in the workplace First became a concern in the early 19 th Century when the UKs Factories Act appointed just four inspectors to regulate safety in more than 3000 child textile factories Every workplace in New Zealand has to abide by the regulations set down by the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 (HSEA) Health & Safety today HSEA Enforcement The Occupational Safety & Health Service (OSH) part of the Dept of Labour enforces the law through inspecting businesses Benefits to employers According to research cited by the Dept of Labour, the productivity gains of maintaining high health and safety standards far outweigh the costs HSEA 1992 requires employers to Ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees by (among other things): -Ensuring safe working conditions -Providing protective clothing when necessary -Ensuring equipment is safe and well-maintained Employees must -Take reasonable care of their health and safety -Co-operate with employers on health and safety measures -Not misuse anything provided to improve their health and safety Workstations Employers must make sure workstations are safe and effective to use one employer improved productivity by 1000% within three months of improving workstations Health & Safety: Summary Employers must: Carry out risk assessments Make sure employees report all faults and hazards Inform employees of first-aid procedures and the names of the first-aid persons in the company Have an accident book to report any occurrences Maintain health and safety guidelines Follow all health and safety workplace legislation and regulations