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Worksafe makes long-term push to get Kiwis home safe

Each year 50 people are killed in workplace incidents in New Zealand, with hundreds more dying prematurely due to work-related ill health. Worksafe New Zealand is aiming to reduce these incidents and raise awareness of work safety with its new campaign called ‘Home time’ via Assignment Group.

Worksafe’s website says the campaign is based on its vision that everyone who goes to work will come home healthy and safely and is in conjunction with the new Health and Safety at Work Act to be introduced in April.

“It is designed to raise awareness about healthy and safety, and challenge Kiwis to make our workplaces safer and healthier for everyone.”

The 60-second hero TVC features a selection of the country’s business leaders from different industries including: Z Energy chief executive Mike Bennetts, Griffin’s Food Limited chief executive Alison Barrass, Downer New Zealand chief executive Cos Bruyn and farmer and international shearing champion Sir David Fagan.

The four speak of the number of deaths and accidents in New Zealand and say it’s not good enough for a country that “has always prided itself for looking out for one another”.

The end of the clip shows Kiwis coming home to their families and greeting their children and partners to get the message across as to who would be most affected by a workplace accident.

Home Time is an 18-month long campaign spanning across TV and digital platforms, Worksafe’s website says, and it’s site also includes clips of the four chief executives explaining what they do to make sure their workers get home safe every night.

According to Worksafe, New Zealand’s health and safety record is about twice as bad as Australia’s and three times worse than the UK’s.

It seems certain health and safety regulations are a bit blurry in New Zealand, hence the call to action from the organisation.

Last year Worksafe New Zealand had to look into the case of a 13-year-old Christchurch girl who, as part of a stunt, was strapped to the front of a monster truck and crashed through walls set on fire.

The stunt was performed in front of 2,000 people, according to Stuff, as part of a demonstration by Monster Madness NZ at the A&P show in Rangiora over Labour weekend.

Though the girl was unharmed (bar a few blisters) the man behind the stunt said it wasn’t without risk.

A spokesman for Worksafe said the agency was trying to establish whether the Health and Safety in Employment Act would apply to the event. 

Worksafe’s website says the economic cost of workplace deaths, injuries and ill-health is estimated at $3.5 billion a year. “ … but the real toll is paid by the family, friends and co-workers of those who are killed and seriously injured.”

Credits:

Client: Worksafe New Zealand

Advertising Agency: Assignment Group Wellington

Production Company: Waitemata Films

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