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Safety and Health Practitioner (SHP) is first for independent health and safety news.
July 30, 2013

HSE chief to head up New Zealand’s workplace safety regulator

Geoffrey Podger is completing his contract as chief executive of the HSE two months early in order to take up the post of acting head of New Zealand’s imminent workplace regulatory body.

The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) in Wellington announced today (30 July) that Mr Podger will be acting chief executive designate for WorkSafe New Zealand — a new standalone Crown agent to regulate workplace health and safety, which is due to begin operations in December this year.

He will start work on 16 September and his role will be to help the MBIE create the new entity, including embedding a new service-delivery model and implementing national office changes affecting the Health and Safety Group.

WorkSafe will give effect to the New Zealand government’s soon-to-be-announced package of reforms drawn up as a result of the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety report.

Mr Podger will become acting chief executive in December and will continue in this role until 28 March 2014, by which time a permanent chief executive should be appointed and available to start.

He has been chief executive of the HSE in the UK since 2005 and, following his departure on 31 August, current deputy chief executive Kevin Myers will become acting chief executive. Gordon MacDonald, current director of hazardous installations, will take over as acting deputy chief executive.

The HSE says the appointments are being made on an interim basis as the Executive is currently the subject of a triennial review, and plans to recruit a new head need to take account of the review process.

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Paul Snook
Paul Snook
11 years ago

Great choice to help NZ move forward in Health and Safety.