Hotlap with John McIntyre at Pukekohe Park Raceway

Last Friday I had the great opportunity to get a ride in a Ford V8. my Driver was John McIntyre and it was great fun. We clocked 227 kilometres per hour. It was just great. Below are some Pictures of that day.

Below is the link for the remaining Photos that we took on that. 

Hotlaps At Pukekohe Raceway

Bullying At Workplace

Research on workplace bullying released today by Massey University sounds a warning to employers that they need robust practices and procedures to deal with workplace bullying issues, says Department of Labour Head of Employment Relations, Lesley Haines.

The research, Understanding Stress and Bullying in New Zealand Workplaceswas two-thirds funded by the Department and was carried out by a research team led by Professor Tim Bentley.

The researchers looked at the incidence of workplace bullying in four sectors – health, education, travel and hospitality. They surveyed employers and employees and found that workplace bullying in these sectors is high by international standards.

However, they have warned against extrapolating the results to say that bullying is widespread across all New Zealand workplaces.

“Despite this, employers should not be complacent,” says Ms Haines. “They have a duty under the Health and Safety in Employment Act to provide a healthy and safe workplace. This includes having a workplace in which bullying is not tolerated.

“Most importantly, employers should have clear and well understood systems to deal with bullying complaints, and which includes the provision of an impartial investigation of any complaints.”

Ms Haines says the Department has resources available to help employers and others deal with bullying. “We are developing a fact sheet that provides guidance in dealing with bullying issues. The Department also provides assistance with individual cases through its Health and Safety Inspectors and Mediation Services.

“If an employee feels they are unable to make a complaint to their employer, they may want to get support from family or friends, discuss the matter with their union, or seek assistance from the Department.”

Ms Haines says the Department will work with each of the four sectors covered by the report to raise awareness of the issues raised by the research findings. The fact sheet and other guidance material will be provided to employers and their staff to help address bullying themselves.

For the detailed report go to: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10638499

Safety Shockers - Blocked exits

What do you do when there is an emergency???

Shocker of the Week

These guys need some decent safety gear. They also need someone to tell them how to do it properly and safely.

Not So Fun Facts About Influenza

• The flu spreads easily from person to person. The influenza virus is transferred in droplets of moisture expelled through breathing, coughing and sneezing.
•  The virus can also be spread when a person touches any droplets which contain the influenza virus and then touches their own mouth or nose before washing their hands.
•  Influenza infection can lead to hospitalisation in all age groups, particularly if you have an ongoing medical condition or if you are 65 years and older.
•  Approximately 4o0 deaths each year in New Zealand are related to influenza infection.

This season’s ‘flu’ could be worse because of the new influenza virus commonly known as Swine Flu.

Swine Flu (officially known as Pandemic Influenza [H1N1] 09) has been in the news a lot because it is a new type of ‘flu’ we have not been exposed to before.

The good news is that in New Zealand, the 2010 seasonal influenza vaccine also contains protection against Swine Flu.

The best protection is to wash hands after using toilet, sanitising the equipment you use and covering your face when coughing and sneezing. 

Do a favour to your fellow staff members, if you do not feel well stay at home and visit your local GP as a precaution.

Keeping Safe with Chemicals This Year

A bit of time spent in indentifying the chemicals used and stored on the premises will save money and lives. More than 100,000 hazardous substances are used in over 150,000 workplaces in the New Zealand.Many of these chemicals are common and used so often they’re taken for granted. But exposure to some of these, including LPG, petrol, solvents and ammonia, can cause harm if not handled correctly.
To make things easier, the Department of Labour and ERMA New Zealand have developed a simple, step-by-step guide to help businesses keep themselves and others safe.

Chemical Safety in the Workplace is a hands-on workbook that anyone can fill in. It applies to a wide range of industries from panel beating and electroplating to timber treatments and warehousing.

When completed, the workbook provides a full list (inventory) of the chemicals stored and used in the workplace, including where they are located, how much is being held, what risks they pose and, where controls are lacking, what corrective action needs to be taken.

“The time for excuses is over. In the event that something does go wrong, a good quality emergency response plan will protect a business and emergency responders. Putting up signage and having fire extinguishers can limit the damage. "

To be safe with chemicals in 2010, download a copy of the workbook at http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/resources/hs-workb.html.

Can someone sell these guys some Safety Gear

Can someone sell these guys some Safety Gear