UK health and safety expert visits New Zealand

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson has today welcomed the arrival of Judith Hackitt, Chair of the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive.

Ms Hackitt will deliver a series of speeches and presentations with New Zealand government officials, health and safety practitioners and business leaders as part of Safety 2012, the 11th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion.

“Ms Hackitt is a recognised global expert on workplace safety and occupational health,” Ms Wilkinson says.

“The United Kingdom has one of the best health and safety records of any industrialised country, so we are keen to learn how we can improve the safety of New Zealand’s workplaces.”

Ms Hackett will visit Christchurch tomorrow to speak to government and construction industry leaders about the city’s rebuild.

Ms Hackitt will discuss the construction of the London 2012 Olympic Park and Athlete’s Village, a project that required 60 million hours of work in hazardous environments but was achieved on time, on budget and without a single fatality.

“A successful Christchurch rebuild is a priority for the Government, we want to examine what made the London 2012 construction project so successful and apply everything we can to make Christchurch a similar success story.”

Information on Ms Hackitt and her role with the UK Health and Safety Executive is available at this link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/hseboard/biographies/board/hackitt.htm

Information on Safety 2012 is available here: http://www.conference.co.nz/worldsafety2012/home