INDUSTRY PEOPLE
Jimmy has much to say about health and safety practices
in New Zealand—all reasoned, balanced arguments. The
only thing they were asked to wear on their visit to the
Kato Works site was “good shoes.” And the hardhats the
employees wear in that facility is often only to show who is
who: the hierarchy of different-coloured hats.
All these observations from the Daisleys about safety in the
workplace have come from years of experience in industry,
from training others in the industry and just some good, old-
fashioned common sense.
“Sometimes I think that health and safety in this country is
set up to appeal to the legal system, rather than to actually
protect real human beings from getting hurt,” says Jimmy.
Scott’s view is the same. He recalls one young worker having
to sign a health and safety waiver before he could even start
work—not the most positive start to that worker’s career.
The message it sends to young people is that New Zealand
workplaces are inherently dangerous, and that there is a
culture of fear of legal action against employees.
“What we’re trying to do in our trades is actually attract
young people to join up, and yes, obviously they need to
understand that they have to be sensible and safe, but as
an introduction to their working life, they get told that if
something goes wrong they could be fined? It’s not exactly
the best entrance to a new job.
“There’s a lot of legalese-type language in the documentation
as well, and people are expected to understand it. But
nowhere in there does it say “If a tree falls on you, you might
die.
“It’s almost as if companies are expected to say, “Under
the legislation, we might get fined if you chop your leg off
on the job” which is the wrong message to send out, as
what they really need to be saying is: “This company cares
enough about you that we don’t want you to lose a thumb
on the job.”
With that, the tea and biscuits are finished, and we move out
onto the site, to talk about future plans.
HPL Distribution will move the business, edging all the
while closer to Auckland, although the Northland location
is still the ideal spot from which to run it. Most of the work
is over the phone or online, and they’ve developed a great
online presence, showcasing the recent Japanese visitors
on Facebook, and housing a good database of equipment
on their website.
Future plans are to keep on keeping on, growing and
expanding the business maintaining good relationships with
customers and Kato Works, and hopefully hosting them again
for more wine, shellfish and pep talks about “don’t be like us!”
HPL would like to thank all the people who have helped and
supported them over the years.
A Kato hydraulic excavator. This big boy weighs around 33600kg and has a powerful Damiler 205kW 6 cylinder engine.
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CAM December 2019
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