‘In association with EMA’
By Paul Jarvie, EMA Manager of Employment Relations & Safety
The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) plays a vital role in supporting New Zealand businesses to meet their health and safety obligations. With over 7,000 Member companies, the EMA offers a wide range of training programmes – from foundational workshops to NZQA-accredited diplomas designed to equip leaders, managers, and teams with the skills needed to build safer workplaces.
Too often, health and safety is treated as a checklist – a set of policies filed away until something goes wrong. But that approach is not enough. Leaders are now expected to demonstrate a real-world understanding of how work is done, ensuring systems are in place to manage risk.
A recent court ruling has sent a clear message to executives and officers across the country: health and safety is no longer just a compliance checkbox – it’s a leadership imperative. Due diligence is not passive. It demands proactive systems, visible leadership, and a culture that doesn’t tolerate shortcuts – especially when lives or limbs are at stake.
This new legal precedent is one of the reasons why we launched the EMA Safety AdviceLine to help embed a culture of safety in workplaces throughout New Zealand.
Whether you’re navigating complex legislation, responding to an incident, or simply want to check best practice, the EMA’s in-house Health and Safety Advisors are here to help. EMA Members can call as often as they need to, and we’ll connect them with the right recommendations, resources or consultants to support the next steps – simply call 0800 300 362.
For more information on the comprehensive range of EMA health and safety training programmes, including online courses, webinars, short courses, certificates and diploma-level
courses, please visit ema.co.nz
