Health & Safety

Road cone crackdown continues

Continuing its crackdown on road cones, the Government is soon to force local councils to adopt a risk-based approach to minimise spending on orange witch hats. “New Zealanders have become increasingly irritated by the too-frequently over-the-top use of road cones and costly temporary traffic management around roadworks,” Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “This approach causes […]

2 min read
Is a drier home a healthier home?

Many New Zealand households face problems with condensation, drafts, and mould. But is a drier home necessarily a healthier home? A new study has shed light on how we understand indoor humidity and its link to ‘drier’ homes. It urges green building rating tools to clarify how humidity and dampness are measured and understood. Researchers […]

4 min read
Keeping our roads TruckSafe

The New Zealand Trucking Association is calling for action after a roadworker was fatally struck by a 20-tonne unroadworthy truck. With the company boss of the Auckland business admitting to manslaughter, the association says the tragedy exposes wider systemic failures beyond the news media’s focus on the individual now facing justice. The Trucking Association holds […]

3 min read
Concrete Resilience for Quake-Prone New Zealand

Since the devastating Christchurch earthquake in 2011 and the 2016 Kaikōura event, New Zealand’s approach to concrete building safety has changed dramatically. These disasters exposed weaknesses in many structures and inspired a wave of research, updated rules, and practical solutions designed to better protect lives and property. Evolving Building Codes and Assessment Standards New Zealand’s […]

3 min read
Government to allow more overseas materials

Thousands of building products are to be more readily available to New Zealand trades as the Government releases its building product specifications document. From plasterboard and cladding to windows and external doors, building companies will be better able to buy overseas building materials in a move Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says will promote […]

2 min read
Supporting Māori Apprentices

BCITO has launched a campaign to highlight the achievements of Māori tradespeople. “We’ve seen the percentage of Māori workers in building and construction grow from 12 per cent in 2018 to 17 per cent. However, we also want to see a corresponding rise in Māori students completing their apprenticeships and qualifications,” said BCITO Director, Greg […]

3 min read