health and safety Statement
At The Carpenter’s House (TCH), we believe that keeping everyone safe is one of our most important jobs. We do this because it is the right thing to do—not just for the law, but for our spirits and our community. We promise to keep following the law and always look for ways to make our church a safer place.
Our Heart for Safety
We want everyone at TCH to be safe. To make this happen, our leaders and our staff work together to follow the best safety rules.
How We Stay Safe Together
We ask everyone in our church family or visiting to help us by:
Working Together: We take real steps to stop "Critical Risks" (the big dangers that could cause serious hurt).
Finding Dangers: We look for things that could hurt people in our buildings and fix them as soon as we can.
Knowing What to Do: We make sure everyone knows what to do if there is a fire or an emergency.
Taking Care: Everyone is responsible for their own safety and the safety of the people around them.
Reporting Problems: If there is an accident, a "near miss" (where someone almost got hurt), or a new danger, please write it down in our records.
Learning: We will give you the information and training you need to do your work safely.
New Zealand Laws & Guidelines
These are the official laws that help us stay safe in New Zealand:
Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA): This is the main law that says every workplace and church must protect its people.
Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bill 2026: This is a new update to the law. It tells us to focus mostly on "Critical Risks"—the dangers that are most likely to cause serious injury or death.
Volunteer Rights: Under the law, people who volunteer regularly (Volunteer Workers) have many of the same safety rights as paid staff.
Helpful Links