NZ’s most deadly industries Departing My Food Bag boss delivered
AUCKLAND: They have fallen through skylights, had arms amputated after a highvoltage electric shock, been burned in a gas cylinder explosion, had scaffolding collapse on them, shot through the heart with a nail gun, accidentally amputated a hand and been killed by a runaway truck.
A string of horrific accidents lately — many in Auckland — has left construction workers suffering terrible, sometimes fatal, injuries.
It’s men, and particularly those working on building, sites who are suffering especially. The events have resulted in highprofile publicity, making construction appear to be horrifically dangerous.
Yet data from Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa, WorkSafe NZ, shows the industry with the highest number of fatalities from February 2021 to January 2022 was actually transport, postal and warehousing, where 17 deaths were recorded.
Construction came second with 11 deaths, followed by agriculture’s six deaths, six more in agriculture/forestry/fishing support services, and ‘‘other services’’, with five deaths.
And there’s even some good news: WorkSafe data shows the past 12 months had a relatively low number of work injuries, illnesses and serious harm compared with the past seven years: in 2016 there were 2684 notifications; rising to 3172 in 2017; 3128 in 2018; 3144 by 2019; 2502 by 2020; and 2624 by 2021. In the most recent 12month period — September 2021 to August 2022 — the total was 2512.
So far, this year has been one of the safest on record for worker injuries, WorkSafe data shows.
And while it has a high profile, construction jobs are actually less risky when fatalities in that sector are compared to others: 4.41 deaths per 100,000 construction workers compared to forestry at 48 deaths per 100,000. Transport, postal and warehousing has 15.51 deaths per 100,000 workers, while agriculture, forestry and fishing services has 14.39 deaths per 100,000 workers.
But unfortunately, construction does rate at No 1 of all sectors for the total number of workrelated injuries, illness and serious harm, followed by manufacturing.
Auckland is rated as having the highest number of injuries, illnesses and serious harm in the workplace, followed by Canterbury, Waikato, Wellington and Otago.
So what’s going on with the accidents and fatalities in the building business?
This month three organisations spoke out, calling for a renewed focus on health and safety: WorkSafe NZ, Construction Health and Safety NZ and the Council of Trade Unions.
‘‘The social and economic cost of deaths, injuries and illhealth arising from work is estimated at $3.5 billion a year,’’ says WorkSafe, which was founded in 2013 in the wake of the 2010 Pike River mine disaster, where 29 men were killed.
‘‘However, the real toll is paid by the families, friends and coworkers of those who are killed, seriously injured or experience workrelated illhealth.
‘‘Every year an estimated 700 to 900 people die prematurely as a result of workrelated illhealth and 50 to 60 people are killed in work incidents. This is unacceptable. We have firm targets and priorities to transform New Zealand’s workplace health and safety performance.’’
WorkSafe’s latest annual report says it is engaging with businesses, organisations and kaimahi to help them do the right thing. It has 18 offices, 671 people and in the 202021 year completed 14,121 assessments, concluded 12 audits, finished 187 investigations and prosecuted 63 businesses and/or people.
The Crown agency received $120.6 million in government funding in the year to June 30, 2021. But it has also been reported as complaining about a lack of adequate resources to carry out all its regulatory responsibilities.
Chapman Tripp partner Garth Gallaway, in Christchurch, says New Zealand is overrepresented internationally in its health and safety statistics.
He has practised in health and safety law since 1994 and says he agrees with criticism that WorkSafe is underfunded and underresourced by the Government.
He is concerned that as part of a good health and safety system, officers of companies and other organisations are not being regularly interviewed to make sure they are meeting their obligations.
‘‘With Pike River, one of the key areas New Zealand was found wanting in was governance. Prior to new workplace legislation [the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015] coming into force in April 2016, we were advising our clients that as a matter of course, they should expect that when someone was seriously harmed or fatally injured, an officer of that person conducting a business or undertaking will be interviewed because under the law, there are formal obligations on officers.
‘‘The officers have a duty. Since 2016, I think I’ve seen WorkSafe interview only one officer from my clients and I’ve been involved in hundreds of investigations. To my knowledge, the only prosecutions of officers have been of small, tightly held businesses where the officers are essentially managing the work site and are there daytoday,’’ Mr Gallaway says.
He is not suggesting officers are not performing their roles appropriately. But if they are not being investigated in the course of serious harm accidents, then opportunities for education and, in the worst cases, enforcement are missed. And the overall system is weaker as a result. —
WELLINGTON: The chief executive of My Food Bag has resigned.
A note to the stock exchange said Kevin Bowler notified the company about his decision to step down from the meal kitdelivery company on Thursday night.
My Food Bag chairman Tony Carter said Mr Bowler had overseen a period of significant change after joining the business in 2018, leading the company through the pandemic and its subsequent challenges, as well as a period of growth.
``It has been a challenging time for My Food Bag and despite this, with Kevin's leadership, the business has performed well, transitioned to a publicly listed company and is investing for the future.
``During Mr Bowler's tenure, the business virtually tripled its earnings, took control of national operations from third parties, opened two new assembly facilities in Auckland and Christchurch, and broadened its offering to customers by adding recipe choice, Made meals and its grocery options via the Kitchen.’’
Mr Bowler said he was sad to be leaving the company, but it was the right decision for him and his family.
``When I look back at my time with the business, I'm most proud of the way our team has worked together tirelessly through the uncertainties of the pandemic and still achieved all of its prelisting forecasts in the FY21 and FY22 years.''
Mr Bowler was at the helm during the company's disappointing initial public offering in early 2021.
Shares were floated at $1.85 each but have since fallen 65% to 64 cents per share at Thursday’s market close.
Shareholders and company directors alike have expressed disappointment in the share price at the company's last two annual meetings. The business' financial performance has also come under recent pressure, as the rising cost of living and other inflation challenges saw the company forecast lower full year earnings.
At the time of the last update, My Food Bag said it planned to lift earnings by introducing new products and encourage customers to order more frequently through its loyalty programme.
Mr Bowler's last day will be October 14.
A search is under way for his replacement and current chief financial officer Mark Winter will serve as acting chief executive in the interim. — RNZ