ACC invests $22m to keep New Zealand businesses safe

ACC New Zealand
The ACC is investing in programs to try to keep Kiwis safer in the workplace.

The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) will invest $22 million over five years into workplace injury prevention grants and subsidies to help New Zealand businesses keep their staff healthy and safe.

There are three types of subsidies: workplace capability development (i.e. training courses), professional health and safety consulting advice, and capital investment that has health and safety outcomes (i.e. equipment).

“This is particularly important for smaller businesses which haven’t previously been able to access this type of support because the barriers have been too high,” ACC Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said.

“The Government is serious about improving health and safety for Kiwi workplaces… [and] the ACC supports the Government strategy through its injury prevention investments, injury management and rehabilitation services and levy products.”

This investment is made in addition to the $15 million per annum invested by WorkSafe NZ to fund injury prevention programs, and which urged the transport, postal and warehousing sector to make drastic changes to improve workplace safety in December 2018.

“Too many people are dying in the transport, postal and warehousing sector. It is time for the industry to front this and make some drastic changes before more lives are lost,” Workplace NZ said in a statement.

Ten people have died at work in the past two years in the sector, according to Workplace NZ.

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