Introduction

One serious-harm incident or a single WorkSafe notice can shutdown a site, significantly reduce profits, and impact your brand overnight. The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 gives every PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) – directors included – clear duties and the rules can feel dense and overwhelming when you are juggling day-to-day operations. Harris Tate’s Employment Team can put the Act’s requirements into practical, plain-English steps you can action immediately – helping you build a safety culture, eliminate compliance gaps, and keep everyone on site (and your bottom line) out of harm’s way. They can also advise and assist you when an issue arises and damage control is required.

Practical Health & Safety Advice

Keeping people safe is not just good business – it is the law. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, every PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) must look after workers, contractors, and anyone else on site. Harris Tate’s Employment Team can break down the legal requirements into easy to understand steps you can follow, helping you meet WorkSafe NZ standards and keep people out of harm’s way.

Know Your Duties

Directors and senior managers have a personal “due diligence” duty to make sure proper systems are in place: risk assessments, safe-work procedures, and incident reporting. We can assist with reviewing your current systems, identifying any gaps, and creating an action plan so you are not caught short if WorkSafe comes knocking.

Build a Safety Culture

Policies gathering dust on a shelf will not stop accidents. We can advise you on practical tools and training that staff will actually understand, use and follow. Do you need a contractor-management checklist? A fatigue policy for shift workers? We can tailor documents to your industry so everyone knows the rules and why they matter.

Incidents, Investigations, and WorkSafe Interviews

Even well-run sites can have a near miss or serious-harm event. If that happens, call us straight away and we will guide you through important first steps such as preserving evidence, notifying WorkSafe, and supporting any injured worker. If inspectors arrive, we can brief directors and team leaders on their rights and obligations, attend interviews, and draft clear incident reports that will not trip you up later.

Enforcement: Notices, Prosecutions, and Sentencing

Have you received an improvement or prohibition notice? We can help you comply or challenge an unfair decision. If WorkSafe files charges, we can advise you throughout the process and assist you with achieving the best resolution possible in the circumstances.

Training, Audits, and Proactive Compliance

Why wait for an accident? We can run in-house workshops on the Act, worker participation, mental-wellbeing obligations and other areas. We can also audit your emergency plans, policies and processes and record-keeping so you can fix any issues before they become headlines.

Why Choose Harris Tate?

• Plain-English advice: No legal jargon—just clear next steps.
• Responsive, knowledgeable and experienced team.
• Pragmatic and considered advice.
• Local insight: Tauranga-based, helping businesses city-wide across industries.

Let’s Talk Safety

Don’t wait for a WorkSafe visit to find out you missed something. Get in touch with Harris Tate today for practical health-and-safety advice and guidance that protects your people, your reputation, and your bottom line.