As a business, it's important to ensure that you are getting your Health & Safety (H&S) advice from someone who is deemed to be competent. A competent person is defined as someone who has the right skills, knowledge and experience to carry out a task.
Up until recently, anyone could call themselves an H&S Professional but now the Health and Safety Association of New Zealand (HASANZ) has developed a HASANZ Register so that businesses can easily find reliable and competent advice and services.
To be accepted on to the register Health and Safety Professionals must meet the required competency standards of their member association.
The HASANZ member organisations include:
- New Zealand Institute of Safety Management (NZISM)
- New Zealand Institute of Hazardous Substances Management (NZIHSM)
- Maintenance Engineers Society of New Zealand (MESNZ)
- New Zealand Occupational Health Nurses Association (NZOHNA)
HASANZ recommends that businesses ask the following four key questions when engaging a Health and Safety Consultant:
- Are they a member of a professional association?
- Can they provide evidence of relevant training and knowledge?
- Do they have practical experience in your industry or type of business activity?
- Are they happy for you to contact their clients about the work they have done for them?
HR Connect is able to answer 'yes' to these questions.
Are they a member of a professional association? Yes, Lee is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management (NZISM). Lee had the required qualifications and experience to become a “Technical” member of NZISM earlier this year.
Can they provide evidence of relevant training and knowledge? Yes, Lee has worked as a health and safety professional for 12 years. She has a Bachelor of Nursing, a Post Grad Cert Health Science Endorsed in Occupational Health and a NEBOSH International Certificate in Health and Safety.
Do they have practical experience in your industry or type of business activity? It’s highly likely. Lee has experience in the health, agriculture, food processing and manufacturing sectors.
Are they happy for you to contact their clients about the work they have done for them? Yes, we are more than happy for you to talk to other clients about the work Lee has done. Also have a look at our client testimonials on our website.
Lee Powell, Health & Safety Consultant, HR Connect
