A guide for workplaces

This publication was produced in partnership by the following organisations:

• Farmsafe
• AWUNZ Southern Branch
• Meat and Wool New Zealand
• Agriculture ITO
• New Zealand Shearing
• ACC
• SHEAResults
• tectra
• Federated Farmers of New Zealand

Disclaimer: The Department of Labour has made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this publication is reliable, but makes no guarantee of its completeness. The Department may change the contents of this guideline at any time without notice.

Crown copyright 2008

This material is Crown copyright unless otherwise stated and may be reproduced free of charge without requiring specific permission. This is subject to it being reproduced accurately and not being used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. The source and copyright status should be acknowledged. The permission to reproduce Crown copyright protected material does not extend to any material in this report that is identified as being the copyright of a third party.

Published by the
Department of Labour
Wellington
New Zealand
www.dol.govt.nz

February 2008
ISBN 0-478-28023-8

Contents

Part one: roles and responsibilities

1. The Act: an overview
   1. Principal objectives of the Act
   2. Approved codes of practice or best practice guidelines
   3. How to comply
2. The Act: duties
   1. Duties of everyone
   2. Duties of self-employed persons
   3. Duties of employees
   4. Duties if you employ contractors
   5. Employer’s duties: general
   6. Employer’s duty to identify and manage hazards
   7. Employer’s duty to inform employees about health and safety matters
   8. Employer’s duty to train and supervise
   9. Employer’s duty to involve employees
   10. Employer’s duty with regard to accidents
3. The Act: definition of serious harm
   1. Definition
   2. Serious harm conditions
   3. Serious harm injuries
4. The Regulations: duties
   1. Overview
   2. Employer’s duty to provide facilities
   3. Employer’s duties: general
5. General duties of designers, manufacturers and suppliers

Part two: guidelines for the provision of facilities and general safety in shearing work

1. Sheep preparation
   1. Animal handling
   2. Presentation of sheep for shearing
2. The shearing shed
   1. Access
   2. Sheep pens and gates
   3. Catching pens, gateways and doors
   4. The shearing board
   5. The wool and press room
3. Machinery
   1. Shearing plant
   2. Handpieces
   3. Grinders
   4. Wool presses
   5. Storage of shearer’s tools and equipment
   6. Electrical safety
   7. Manual handling
4. Working in the shearing shed
   1. Work in heat and cold
   2. Vapours, fumes and gases
   3. Dusts
   4. Protective clothing and equipment
   5. Chemicals and hazardous substances
   6. Disease from animals (zoonoses)
   7. Wool abscesses
   8. First aid
   9. Noise
   10. Training of employees
   11. Hazard management
   12. Physical and physiological demands
5. Accommodation, amenities and travel
   1. Buildings
   2. Fire
   3. Electrical safety
   4. Cleaning
   5. Water
   6. Eating areas
   7. Kitchens, food preparation and storage areas
   8. Sleeping quarters
   9. Washing, toilet and laundry areas
   10. Travel

References/other publications of interest

Definitions