New Zealand Amends Health and Safety at Work Act to Focus on Critical Risks
Amendments to New Zealand's Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 will require businesses to prioritize critical risks when they take effect on 1 April 2027.
The following is an abridgement of an article originally published by WorkSafe New Zealand.
Legislative Amendments
Amendments to New Zealand’s Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 received Royal Assent on 13 July 2026 and will come into effect on 1 April 2027. According to WorkSafe New Zealand, the changes are designed to focus the health and safety system on critical risks.
Critical Risk Prioritization
Under the amended legislation, businesses with fewer than 20 workers will be required to manage critical risks—defined as those likely to cause the most serious harm—and prioritize them when complying with other provisions. Larger businesses must continue to manage all risks while prioritizing critical ones. WorkSafe New Zealand stated that all businesses will need to identify critical risks based on what they should reasonably know about their work.
Additional Changes
The amendments introduce several other updates, including allowing industry, worker, and employer organizations to develop their own codes of practice for approval by the Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety. WorkSafe New Zealand noted that following an approved code of practice will constitute compliance with the Act, preventing enforcement action on relevant matters.
Further changes include clarifying which injuries and illnesses must be notified to the regulator, narrowing duties for landowners and officers, and prioritizing regulator functions such as providing guidance and monitoring compliance.
