DEB HARDWICKE sets out the issues facing health & safety representatives and says they offer opportunities for forward-thinking organisations to engage workers.

Process safety is a highly technical engineering discipline aimed at preventing catastrophes. What can health and safety practitioners learn from it? Quite a bit, says CRAIG MARRIOTT.

JOE AIKEN on the opportunity near-misses provide to test your safety management system.

New regulations covering major hazard facilities come into force on 4 April 2016. GEOFF COOKE reports on how they will be implemented.

ANDREW WILSON says any organisation which faces low-frequency/high-consequence events needs to focus on risk-based decision making.

JACKIE BROWN-HAYSOM sits in on a training course to bring existing health and safety reps up to speed with the new legislation.

The contract to retrain every serving health and safety rep in the country was awarded to a relatively unknown provider. JACKIE BROWN-HAYSOM finds out what gave Safety ‘n Action the edge.

We asked six people one question: what is the single most important action you would advise a client to have taken in order to be prepared for the new HSW Act?

They borrowed our flag, we borrowed their H&S legislation. Fair’s fair. So how are they going across the Tasman? ALENA TITTERTON reports on the challenges and the myths.

Are mental health issues really part of health and safety? Yes, says CARLO CAPONECCHIA, who explains how they can be managed using familiar risk prevention and consultation methods.

How do you get men to open up about their experience of depression? TRISH KNIGHT describes the development of workshops which do just that.

In his previous role, Chris Jones headed the occupational health and wellbeing strategy for Network Rail in the UK, which developed and implemented a 10-year strategy to address a range of issues, including mental health risks. Now Manager Occupational Health with WorkSafe New Zealand, JACKIE BROWN-HAYSOM asked him what this project involved, and where mental health fits in his current position.

Four pundits with a professional interest in work-related mental health share their thoughts with JACKIE BROWN-HAYSOM.

Former union leader Helen Kelly is terminally ill but remains engaged in the pursuit of fairer and safer working conditions. PETER BATEMAN talked to her recently.

TIM MARSH addresses some common assumptions about Heinrich’s triangle, and finds links between behavioural safety and process safety.

Does risk assessment actually improve our understanding of risk? DREW RAE suggests our prior beliefs often seriously skew the outcomes.

Nigel Hampton QC argued last issue that private prosecutions are the best and possibly the only practical way to hold the regulator to the mark. WorkSafe New Zealand’s MIKE HARGREAVES responds.

“I am the sole health and safety person in my organisation. Most managers here seem to take the view that because I exist they don’t have to worry about health and safety. What can I do to persuade them to take the lead?”

DAVID TAPPIN reports on a project in which house builders nominated the site methods which have helped them to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.

GORDON MACDONALD explains why getting workers involved in health and safety is good for everyone.

MARTIN MCMULLAN discovers a drive in the Australian bush requires a degree of forward planning.