Another change is the Sentencing Amendment Act, which came into force at the weekend and means that if a company is taken to court after an accident, it could be required to pay substantial reparations payments to people who are injured -- up to 30 years' lost income, for example.
As New Zealand begins to pick up its productivity it's timely to look at our health and safety practices, especially where business have emerged leaner and meaner from tough times to remain competitive and are on the path to growth: hiring or collaborating for large projects.
If you are not sure about the state of your company's health and safety practices, seek expert advice. Workplace safety consultants may point out hazards you have not considered and will show you how to mitigate risks, and manage your legal obligations now and when the new rules come into force.
Some business owners struggle to see the bottom-line value of a good health and safety policy but there can be big costs associated with getting it wrong, whether reparation payments or just time lost at work.
Most importantly, getting on top of your workplace safety requirements will help protect your staff's wellbeing. I encourage businesses to do everything they can to start 2015 with a focus on safety.
Jeremy Tauri is an associate at Plus Chartered Accountants.