Health and Safety Responsibilities for New Zealand Schools in 2024

Schools are vibrant places where students learn and grow, but they also present various health and safety challenges. From active playgrounds to diverse classroom activities and outdoor educational trips, managing these environments requires a proactive approach to health and safety.

New Zealand schools continue to face significant health and safety challenges in 2024. WorkSafe New Zealand highlight that schools must maintain rigorous health and safety practices to meet their obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

Understanding the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
Person Conducting Business or Undertaking (PCBU)

In the school context, the Board of Trustees (BOT) is designated as the PCBU under the HSWA. As the primary duty holders, they are responsible for ensuring effective health and safety systems are in place.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing the necessary resources and processes to support health and safety initiatives.
• Engaging with all staff and students to create a culture of safety.
• Ensuring comprehensive training and supervision are provided to mitigate health and safety risks.

Officers under the PCBU

Principals and elected board members are officers under the PCBU and have specific duties to ensure that the BOT fulfils its health and safety obligations. Officers must:

• Understand the operational risks associated with the school environment.
• Ensure that the school has adequate resources and processes to manage these risks.
• Regularly review and improve the school’s health and safety practices.

For detailed information, schools can refer to the Ministry of Education’s Health and Safety Guide for School Leaders, which provides guidelines on compliance and best practices.

How GOSH Supports School Health and Safety
Managing health and safety can be complex, especially given the diverse range of activities in schools. GOSH, Working Wise’s health and safety software, provides a reliable and streamlined way for schools to manage their health and safety obligations. GOSH is designed to support schools by offering:

Centralised Monitoring: GOSH allows schools to manage all health and safety activities from a single platform, helping to ensure that nothing is overlooked. This feature is particularly useful for tracking incidents and maintaining visibility over health and safety performance.

Real-Time Incident Reporting: Schools can use GOSH to report incidents immediately via desktop or mobile devices. This function enhances the responsiveness of school leaders and helps maintain up-to-date records of all health and safety events.

Accessible Risk Registers: GOSH simplifies access to accident, incident, hazard, and risk registers, providing school leaders with the tools needed to manage these effectively.

As seen in one of our case studies, a Wellington primary school that adopted GOSH reported improved accuracy in incident reporting and a more structured approach to managing playground safety. This aligns with feedback from other educational institutions that have seen value in using a centralised platform for health and safety management.

Addressing Current Health and Safety Concerns in Schools
Recent news articles, such as those published by RNZ, have spotlighted ongoing health and safety challenges in New Zealand schools, including the need for better management of school trips and outdoor activities. These incidents underscore the importance of having robust systems like GOSH in place, which can provide real-time tracking and accountability.

Ensure Your School is Equipped

By integrating GOSH into your school’s health and safety strategy, you can enhance your ability to meet regulatory requirements and foster a safer environment for learning. To learn more about how GOSH can benefit your school, contact Working Wise today via our online form or call us at 04 499 0710.