Manufacturing in Aotearoa New Zealand
Project Whakahaumaru
to safeguard, protect
Background
The manufacturing sector is full of wonderful businesses that are committed to providing a safe workplace for their people. It is an important sector for New Zealand, contributing over 60% of our exports and employing nearly 230,000 people, in almost 23,000 businesses.
Despite ongoing efforts, the sector continues to experience a high rate of work related injuries compared to other industries, which have seen a decline in harm rates through concerted efforts. Improving the health, safety and wellbeing of our workers is critical, and it is imperative that we, as leaders, take decisive action to ensure the survival and prosperity of our industry.
The manufacturing landscape is complex. Addressing the challenge of reducing harm requires a focused approach. By identifying high-risk areas, understanding prevalent issues, and collaborating to design effective solutions, we can prioritise actions, foster innovation, and share experiences and insights for collective impact. This initiative marks the beginning of a crucial journey towards safer, more sustainable manufacturing.
“Thank you to the Steering Group who took on governance of this project and the many people who contributed to this discovery phase.”
Wendi Bains, Project Whakahaumaru Steering Group Chair
Project Purpose
This Harm Reduction Action Plan was commissioned by ACC as part its Huakina Te Rā strategy. Project Whakahaumaru was led by EMA on behalf of the manufacturing industry, to inform a long term “by industry for industry” approach to improving outcomes to address workplace harm in manufacturing.
We set out to develop a comprehensive five-year action plan to significantly reduce workplace harm and associated costs in the manufacturing sector through evidence-based interventions, including advances in technology, workplace design, workforce development, and leadership enhancement. This is phase one: Discovery.
Project Whakahaumaru leveraged a blend of quantitative data analysis, stakeholder consultations, and reviews of best practices from similar initiatives. This included examining ACC and WorkSafe claims data and integrating insights from successful international models to tailor interventions that address the unique, and not so unique, challenges of our manufacturing sector. Between March and June 2024, a wide range of people from across the manufacturing sector contributed to the discovery process, taking part in focus group discussions, one-to one interviews, co-design workshops and by responding to a digital survey.
250+
In total over 250 people took part in the discovery.
Manufacturing Sector Plan on a Page
Manufacturing sector plan on a page sits within the full report, download here.
Next Steps
Project Whakahaumaru’s Harm Reduction Action Plan will improve safety, reduce harm and support sustainable growth in manufacturing, only if it moves from a plan to action. For this Action Plan to effectively deliver on harm reduction in manufacturing, the following steps are required:
Secure investment funding from ACC
Resource a kaiwhakatere
Initiate
Implement
Measure and monitor
