Contractor certification numbers grow

AFTER A SLOW START, THE CONTRACTOR CERTIFICATION scheme is now getting up to speed, the Forest Industry Safety & Technology 2018 conference held in Rotorua last month was told.

Although the scheme kicked off mid-way through last year, it took several months before the first contractor was certified.

Fiona Ewing, National Director of the Forest Industry Safety Council (FISC), which administer the scheme, says 206 contractors have registered to undertake certification and 156 of those are currently undergoing field audits. To date, 43 have received certification and seven more are conditionally certified.

The first to undergo the process was Gale Contracting in Marlborough and the company’s Health & Safety Manager, Lee Perry, told the conference they found it a good and positive experience and recommend it to other crews.

Mr Perry has since gone on to become a FISC Field Auditor himself, assessing others going through the certification process.

Those wishing to become a certified contractor can sign up on the www.safetree.nz website.

NZL