Changes We’re Making To Support You

The HazardCo team has been working hard to source the most up to date information on the COVID-19 alert levels and what this means for you. 

As of 11.59pm tomorrow New Zealand will be placed on Alert level 4. The purpose of level 4 is to stop the person to person spread of covid-19 which means stopping as much person to person contact as possible while ensuring society’s essential needs are supported. In order to achieve this, it will require the majority of New Zealanders to stay home.

The question most of you are asking us is what Essential work.

Construction:

• Either support essential services and critical infrastructure 
• Maintain Human Health and Safety at home or work
• Or involvement in any consenting work to support the above two needs

For example, working on repairs within a supermarket or fixing the power in a home that has lost it would be considered essential services whereas completing an extension or starting a new build would not.

AG/Hort:

• Any entity involved in the supply, delivery, distribution and sale of food, beverage and other key consumer goods essential for maintaining the wellbeing of people
• Any entity involved in the packaging, production and processing of food and beverage products, whether for domestic consumption or export

Manufacturing:

• Any entity involved in the packaging, production and processing of food and beverage products, whether for domestic consumption or export
• Any entity involved in relevant support services, such as food safety and verification, inspection or associated laboratory services, food safety and biosecurity functions
• Any entity that provides maintenance and repair services for utilities and communications, including supply chains
• Any entity supplying services to an essential workplaces that are required for the safe operation of that workplace (eg cleaning, security services)

As each scenario is different, we are able to recommend the best way forward on a case by case basis, so if you have any questions at all, please give us a call on 0800 555 339, we are operating as usual (even if it is from kitchen tables or bedrooms!) and we are happy to help. 

Even more specific information is due to be published from our government shortly and at 5pm today a freephone 0800 number will be made available to call if you are unsure if your business is classed as essential.

Keep an eye out tomorrow as we share more detailed guidelines on how to carry out any essential works.  

For more information you can also look at the COVID-19 website for the latest information.

Essential service

Changes HazardCo are making to support you

Update induction process

We’re updating our induction and scanning feature to include the key information essential workers need to know before entering a worksite. We’ll let you know as soon as this is available.

Link in the app with more information

We are also working on ensuring you have access to this information as simply as possible, straight from the HazardCo app. We’ll let you know when this is live and accessible. 

Hazard Register

We also want to make sure you have the correct information on your hazard register so that anyone who is working at, or enters, your workplace can easily access the risks. Please see the new addition below.

Hazard

Outbreak of infection/illness

Risk to Health and Safety

Exposure to large scale outbreaks of infectious diseases (or similar) which cause illness, health complications and in some cases death

Risk Controls Proposed: (in hierarchy order from the most preferred control)

Isolation

• If anyone is unwell or travelled overseas recently they are not to enter the workplace

Administration

• Follow physical interaction guidelines between workers e.g. through physical distancing, split shifts, staggered meal breaks, flexible working arrangements, separate vehicles

• Ensure adequate workplace facilities are available including toilets and handwashing

• Follow basic hygiene levels which includes: thorough hand washing and drying with soap and paper towels or sanitiser, not touching your face, sneezing or coughing into your elbow or tissue

• Carry out frequent cleaning of work surfaces with disinfectant (in particular high-touch surfaces) and equipment/tools

• Set up a contactless delivery or managed entry (inside and outside premises)

• Keep a record of all workers and visitors entering and leaving the workplace

PPE

• Do not share PPE and follow instructions to limit the spread of infection eg remove gloves inside out and dispose of correctly

As always, the wellbeing of our customers is our number one priority, so if you have any further questions, or would like to talk to us, please pick up the phone and call us on 0800 555 339.