Source: Maritime New Zealand
The Port Health and Safety Leadership Group enthusiastically welcomed the Approved code of practice for loading and unloading cargo at ports and on ships (ACOP) when it came into effect late last year.
All commercial ports in New Zealand now have a set of base level safety standards that has been approved by the Minister for Work Place Relations and the Associate Minister of Transport.
The ACOP provides assurance and clarity under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA). If a business can show that what it has done is equivalent to or better than the requirements in the ACOP, then it’s likely to be meeting the test of what is reasonably practicable under the HSWA.
Now, at its annual strategy meeting, the Leadership Group has made embedding the ACOP on ports one of its top priorities so that it’s widely understood and the benefits are felt across the sector.
One of the focus areas is developing education resources. Over the past several months, Maritime NZ has been working with sector and union representatives to identify priority areas to support the workforce’s understanding of key topics under the ACOP. Following feedback gathered from two workshops, the group has decided to begin with risk management. The next steps will be to design the education resources and content, which will be done in collaboration with the sector.
Maritime NZ has also begun proactive inspections relating to critical risks within the ACOP. Our first focus is on how a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) is effectively managing hazards to health and safety relating to the loading and unloading of breakbulk cargo. Following this phase of the inspections, we’ll share our findings and themes with the Leadership Group and the sector, as well as support any future guidance or education material development.
Over time, we’ll publish guidance and education resources, to support the ACOP. We will continue to provide updates in SeaChange and through other channels.
Useful information about the ACOP:
• Leadership Group update when ACOP came into effect.
• Leadership Group’s Port sector insights picture and action plan, which proposed developing the ACOP as a priority action.
• If you have questions about the Port Health and Safety Leadership Group or more generally about Maritime NZ’s work on ports, email [email protected].
• If you have questions about ACOP education resources, please email our Education and Guidance team at [email protected].