OHSIG Press Release (May 05)

Press Release

 

A new professional group, OHSIG (Occupational Health and Safety Industry Group) was formed in March 2005 in Auckland to be a single point of contact with Government and OH&S agencies. 

 

Currently OHSIG has as its foundation members, The NZ Occupational Health Nurses Assn, The NZ Institute of Safety Management Inc and the NZ Occupational Hygiene Society.  These associations represent three stakeholders of the OH & S profession within NZ.

 

These individual professional member associations will remain active in their own areas of expertise and will retain their own organisational identities.

 

OHSIG was formed in response to two key issues. Firstly the current raft of new activity in the health and safety arena that require coordinated effect.  Secondly, the members collectively recognising there has been no single national voice or point of contact representing OH&S professionals.  This has resulted in limited coordination and disjointed activities amongst the OH&S associations.  The OHSIG was formed to enhance the ability of experienced professional to aid and influence the strategic direction of occupational health and safety within NZ.

 

OHSIG plans to provide comment, submissions and opinions to Government on policy with regard to workplace health and safety issues.  As a forum it is planned to be actively involved in research in the injury prevention and workplace health initiatives.

 

OHSIG clearly identifies with and supports the NZ Injury Prevention Strategy, and in particular the “Workplace Injury Prevention Strategic Plan” and the recently published NOHSAC report on the “Burden of Occupational Disease and Illness in New Zealand”.

 

OHSIG will aim to provide the means to limit duplication of effect and costs to its members associations.  It also aims to assist in the provision of a wider and more cohesive set of OH & S products and services to business and lead governmental agencies.