Douglas Hay

Douglas Hay set up New Zealand’s first academic course in workplace safety management, at Massey University in 1979.

After completing degrees in science and engineering at Auckland and Canterbury universities he went on to the UK, where he completed a Masters degree in industrial safety at Imperial College, London.

In the late 1970s he was appointed a foundation member of ACC’s Occupational Safety Advisory Council, and with ACC funding was able to establish the safety management programme at Massey.

In his more than 25 years at the university he taught and influenced many people who have gone on to senior roles in workplace health and safety management in the private and public sectors.

In the early 1990s he was approached by the International Labour Organisation to act as chief technical advisor for a major project in China. He helped set up a national training centre for labour inspectors in Beijing, and advised on upgrading Chinese OSH legislation. A few years later he was again asked by the ILO to review the health and safety needs of a number of countries, including Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand and Bangladesh.

Douglas retired from the university in 2005 and continues to do consultancy work.

He has made an exceptional contribution to the practice of health and safety, not only by influencing students over three decades but also by influencing the development and promotion of health & safety internationally.

Safeguard story