Tramper fatality prompts review

"Start expecting a half day induction for Milford and another compulsory one for routburn if doing it next. Expect park management to inspect packs before starting and maybe a random check or two half way." haha so true, its like that with any big company, site inductions etc are all part of the regulatory procedures they have to comply with. Expect drug testing too heh heh

right and because meridian has a presence in southland that entitles them to recommend the companies standards to non company activities on DOC land? I suppose under their rules no one would be allowed on the tracks without a locator beacon, a tracking device, and a two way radio or sat phone. and an extensive course in bushcraft and navigation, and a certificate saying they have completed a fitness course to prove their competence to tramp..

what a good idea. Main point was that if the same people running the Meridian op are also running the local Doc its quite reasonable for similar philosophies etc to be presented at the table. I dont know if its possible to go whole hog as to meet h&S rules on most tracks would be near impossible (start thinking about tracks where you could fall more than 3 metres and how to rig fall arrest on them)

um no, if your quoting 3m as in everything needs to be scaffolded above this height (DOL working at heights) its actually not quite that simple and any place a fall could occur below this height must be protected also. They have really been smashing us hard down here lately with edge protection and stuff on the sites, its good to be safe but its gotten a little over the top. Now, all single story houses must be scaffolded to work up on the roof. Anyway, thankfully these legislations only apply to workplace environments so, us kiwis will (hopefully) always be able to head off into the wilds however which way we choose! If they got into the outdoors and hence recreation it would be insane, police state anyone?

Anyway, thankfully these legislations only apply to workplace environments so, us kiwis will (hopefully) always be able to head off into the wilds however which way we choose! If they got into the outdoors and hence recreation it would be insane, police state anyone? for now anyway

well maybe except for the fiordland great walks which are coming in for seperate safety scrutiny.... they may be the sacrificial lambs for warning signs and safety structures...

Yesterday I was able to attend an ad-hoc question & answer session with Lou Sanson, as part of FMC's conference open day, and the recent Milford Track accident came up. It's a complex issue and I couldn't say exactly what's going to happen (if anything), but I did come away with the impression that he definitely "gets" it. Very probably one of the better people who could be responsible for DOC, imho.

Anyway, thankfully these legislations only apply to workplace environments But at the same time they form part of what is known as best practise. Even voluntary organisations can come under scrutiny on that one. An example from another sport is a good way to see how we could be caught out. About 15 years ago a wheel came off a stock car. Happens all the time but this one bounced over the fence and killed a child. Investigation showed the reason was wheel spacers used to widen the track of the car had meant that the wheel nuts had insufficient thread to hold adequately. Untill then this was accepted as best practise so no charges laid etc. At the same time spacers were banned from all types of motorsport and from road legal cars. If you had spacers on your road legal car you had to remove them and remedy any rubbing by another method. Now if the same incedent happens again due to the same cause then best practise says this is not right and the driver the mechanic and the scrutineers can expect manslaughter charges. In stock cars these are all volunteers just like any club trip leader etc.

Back in 97 that was, the guy I worked for at the time raced A grade stocks and I remember them talking about it. I agree health and safety regs CAN form part of best (trade) practise, but the trouble is, these regs are usually thought up in warm offices behind a desk not at the actual coal face. Which is what I believe Wayno was eluding to back there in regards to his comments re board members level of experience. I deal with DOL all the time, they are fine, but its the stupid rules that half the time no one understands that cause all the confusion around things such as height safety. I agree that the workplace should never be a danger to anyone, but recreation however, I'm not so sure I would like to see that. Like riding a push bike, I don't see the need for a helmet unless I'm doing downhill, then I wear helmet, gloves and armour. But by law now (in nz) I have to, see thats stupid, because I can actually ride my bike without falling of like just down the road. Pushbike helmet laws are just one example I can think of several other victimless crimes that our society is 'protected' from daily, but really just costs us taxpayers more at the end of day.

I couldn’t agree more, but what do ya do, the world’s gone mad :) I saw a documentary a few years back about a remote tribe in the Amazon where a group of young kids would go off into the jungle and play. When they got hungry they would catch Tarantulas, start a small fire and toast them on sticks like a jungle takeaway. They spent their lives around danger but rarely came to harm in what we would consider a hazardous environment. The documentary makers put it down to the fact that while they are still part of a collective supportive tribe they become self-aware from a very young age by being exposed to fire, sharp things and poisonous things. So it has to do with spending a lot of time in an environment and learning to be confident in it. Some people are lucky enough to be able to immerse themselves in the outdoors daily, others who get out less frequently have been around long enough to know the ropes, yet there are others who think walking in the outdoors should carry the same protections and rights that you expect on a public footpath. There is that element of our society that let’s others do the thinking for them and they actually feel safe being told that their safety is legislated. Safety on paper is an illusion if you don't understand the risks. I suppose it's like the ongoing PLB discussion we have had. Nothing wrong with carrying a PLB but maybe we should know what we are doing before we are allowed to own one. Another can of worms.