New code of practice at NZ portsFriday 30 Aug 2024
The ACOP, co-designed by Maritime NZ, port and stevedoring companies, and unions aims to reduce serious injuries, illnesses, and fatalities among workers in some of the highest risk activities on our ports, loading and unloading cargo. It is one of the Leadership Group’s key priorities in its multi-year action plan. Leadership Group Chair, Kirstie Hewlett, says the ACOP has formal status under the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA). One of its benefits is that it provides assurance and clarity. If a business can show what they have done is consistent with, or better than, the requirements in the ACOP, then they are likely to be meeting the test of what is reasonably practicable under HSWA. Maritime NZ will take the ACOP into account when doing inspections, assessments and investigations and when deciding the appropriate action. Courts also take the ACOP into account in their deliberations. “There is wide-spread support for it, the clarity it will bring, and the sector has been preparing for its release with some even putting key elements in place already,” Ms Hewlett says. “All of those involved should be proud of what you have achieved already – it will make our ports safer – and I encourage everyone to do what you can to learn about the ACOP and spread the word about it.” Importantly, the work does not stop with the publication of the ACOP. Maritime NZ, in partnership with the Leadership Group, is working with the industry to ensure the ACOP is widely understood and implemented This includes developing guidance and other educational material, and promoting training to support the ACOP. Background The Leadership Group published its Insights Picture and Action Plan in 2022 after fatal accidents at ports in the previous year. It found most injuries and fatalities occur during loading and unloading of ships and also identified there were no clear safety standards around the activities involved. This has led to inconsistency and wide variability of work practices and safety procedures from port to port and even on the same port. The ACOP was designed in a tripartite way starting with initial workshops with unions and workers, businesses and government agencies. It draws on international examples, particularly the Australian Model Code of Practice for Stevedoring. After support from a number of workshops and meetings with the sector to develop the ACOP, Maritime NZ issued the draft for consultation on 13 September 2023. It followed up with online webinars and extensive contact with port companies, stevedoring firms, unions and workers, marshalling companies, shipping agents and transport operators. By the close of consultation on 25 October 2023, it had received 34 submissions, which included more than 730 individual comments. Analysis of submissions also involved experts and people from the sector. The industry has worked together to develop the ACOP to help those loading and unloading cargo on ports and ships come home healthy and safe. Source & image credit: Maritime New Zealand | ||
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