# Second set of HSWA guidance now available

Date: 12 Oct 2026
Released by: WorkSafe New Zealand

## MediaRelease.co Summary

WorkSafe New Zealand has released a second set of guidance to help businesses prepare for amendments to the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) that come into force on 1 April 2027. The new material covers officer duties, including governance responsibilities for directors, partners and chief executives, and overlapping duties where more than one organisation is involved in the same work. A final guidance release is due around the end of October, with an advertising campaign planned towards the end of the year.

## Original release

WorkSafe has released further guidance to help businesses prepare for upcoming changes to the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA). Following our first guidance release earlier this month on critical risk and business size, this latest release focuses on officer duties and overlapping duties. It is designed to help businesses develop a clear understanding of the amended legislation and what it means in practice, so they can prepare for the changes before they come into force on 1 April 2027. The new guidance provides further clarity on what the amendments mean for officers (namely directors, partners and chief executives), including governance responsibilities for Health and Safety rather than a day-to-day focus. It also explains how responsibilities are shared when more than one organisation is involved in the same work or activity. It is now available on the WorkSafe website: - Officer duties - Working with other PCBUs to manage work risks (overlapping duties) This second release continues WorkSafe’s phased approach to supporting businesses with a final guidance release due around the end of October. Alongside the guidance, WorkSafe will continue to publish supporting information, tools and educational resources to help businesses prepare for the changes. In addition, a comprehensive advertising campaign will be launched towards the end of the year to help raise awareness among all businesses both large and small.

## Key details

- Issued by: WorkSafe New Zealand
- Published: 12 Oct 2026
- Publisher country: New Zealand
- Subject country/region: New Zealand
- Original source: https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/about-us/news-and-media/second-set-of-hswa-guidance-now-available/
- MediaRelease.co URL: https://mediarelease.co/nz/mr01881-second-set-of-hswa-guidance-now-available-12102026.html

Original source: https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/about-us/news-and-media/second-set-of-hswa-guidance-now-available/
MediaRelease.co canonical URL: https://mediarelease.co/nz/mr01881-second-set-of-hswa-guidance-now-available-12102026.html