Save the Date

The Safety Seminar Series at The National Safety Show is a dedicated learning space delivering practical, real-world insights for workplace health & safety and wellbeing professionals. Free to attend, the series features a curated programme of short engaging sessions designed to help visitors stay informed, compliant, and future-ready.

Learn from industry experts covering a wide range of topics, including safety best practices, regulatory updates and compliance, risk management, mental health and wellbeing at work, emergency preparedness, safety leadership and culture, technology and innovation in safety, and contractor and site safety management.

Whether you’re responsible for safety strategy, day-to-day site operations, or workforce wellbeing, the Safety Seminar Series provides practical takeaways, expert perspectives, and actionable ideas you can apply immediately in your organisation.

10:00 am - 10:45 am
Wed 15 Jul

Beyond “She’ll Be Right”: Building the habit of health for the Next Generation of builders

Behind every build are people working through physical pressure, long hours, and demanding environments. The industry recorded more than 31,385 work-related injury claims (ACC 2024), while growing awareness around mental health is encouraging businesses to take a broader view of workforce wellbeing as the industry represents around 9.5% of the workforce, it accounts for nearly 30% of workforce suicides (Grant Thornton/MATES in Construction). In this session, Scott Jacobs will explore: What lies at the heart of the cliched “She’ll Be Right” attitude and why no ones tackling the issue, why earlier intervention changes recovery outcomes, how businesses can better support physical and mental wellbeing, and practical ways to build more resilient, sustainable construction workplaces.

Scott Jacobs

Chief Customer Officer
Habit Health
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Wed 15 Jul

The Words That Shape Safety: Turning Everyday Conversations into Safer Decisions

Most incidents don’t begin with a system failure, they begin with what’s said, misunderstood or unsaid in the moment. This session reveals how everyday language directly shapes attention, decisions, and whether people speak up and provides you practical ways to shift conversations for immediate safety impact. • Why common phrases like “be careful” fail – and what to say instead • How language drives attention, decision-making, and whether people speak up • Three powerful shifts: Vague to Specific, Blame to Curiosity, and Pressure to Prevention • Practical tools you can use tomorrow to reduce risk through better conversations • Strong safety culture enables clear, confident communication and encourages people to speak up early to prevent harm If you want to move beyond compliance and posters and instead influence what your people actually notice, say, and do in high-risk moments, this session will give you the language to lead safer outcomes in real time.

Rebekah Stephens

Health and Safety Advisor
EMA
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Wed 15 Jul

A Guide to Workplace Drug & Alcohol Testing

Join Glenn and Blair for an insightful presentation focusing on the current and evolving drug trends currently observed in workplace drug testing across New Zealand. The session will highlight the latest testing methodologies and technologies used to detect substances, emphasizing how advancements are shaping safer work environments. Glenn and Blair will also discuss the critical role of robust, fit-for-purpose Drug & Alcohol Policies, explaining why these policies are essential for maintaining safety, compliance, and staff wellbeing. Attendees will gain practical knowledge to assist managing and protecting their workplaces and support their teams.

Glenn Dobson

CEO
The Drug Detection Agency

Blair Larsen

Sales Manager
The Drug Detection Agency
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Wed 15 Jul

3 Easy Steps to Remove First Aid Risk

When a critical incident occurs, ticking a compliance box won't save a life, but preparedness will. Especially since the first person on the scene (which will be your employee) is the true first responder. Doing more than basic compliance is easier than you think… and it saves lives while safeguarding your business from the reputational risk of simply "doing what you’ve always done". Discover how to truly look after your employees and your organisation. Learn how to foster a proactive response attitude and engage your team in practical, hands-on training, not death by PowerPoint. Effortlessly elevate your workplace readiness and bring your first aid protocols up to speed for today's environment.  

Chris Hall

General Manager
Triple One Care

Marcel Nelson

National Training Manager
Triple One Care
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Wed 15 Jul

HSWA Amendment Bill … when the rubber hits the road

Join the Circus of Safety podcast team in this frank and practical panel discussion about the HSWA Amendment Bill and what it means for your business.

Brenton Harrison

Speaker | Podcaster | Part Time Safety Guy
Circus of Safety

Andrew Evans

Podcaster
Circus of Safety

Desai Link

Safety Practitioner, Author
Circus of Safety
10:00 am - 10:45 am
Thu 16 Jul

KEYNOTE: An Update from the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety

Hon Brooke van Velden is the Minister of Internal Affairs and for Workplace Relations and Safety. Brooke left the private sector to work behind the scenes in Parliament to help pass the End of Life Choice Act. Qualified in international trade and economics, Brooke has also been a factory worker and corporate affairs consultant. She was elected to Parliament as an ACT Party MP in 2020, returning as MP for Tāmaki in 2023.

Hon. Brooke van Velden MP

Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety
ACT Party
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Thu 16 Jul

Beyond Strains & Sprains: Designing Work That Protects Musculoskeletal Health and Strengthens Safety Culture

Strains and sprains remain the primary driver of lost time in NZ workplaces - yet the solution lies in how work is designed, not just how injuries are managed. This session unpacks how musculoskeletal tissue risk and safety culture intersect and what leaders can do differently to prevent harm before it escalates. Strains and sprains are the single biggest cause of lost time in NZ workplaces. Understanding work and work design is paramount to reduce the incidence of these conditions. Managing/treating the work, not the person, is key. Psychosocial risks compound physical injuries. There is no average person, so no one fix for all. The need to report early symptoms A strong safety culture reinforces early reporting, proactive work design, and better protection of musculoskeletal tissue.

If you’re serious about reducing harm, improving recovery outcomes, and embedding a culture where people speak up early, this session will challenge how you think about injury prevention at its core.

Paul Jarvie

Manager – Employer Relations and Safety Advocacy
EMA
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Thu 16 Jul

Navigating Change: What New Proposed Health & Safety Legislation Means For Your Business

The Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bill proposes major changes to New Zealand’s health and safety regime. If enacted in its current form, it would mark the most significant reform since the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. This presentation will outline the Bill’s key proposed changes, including the new ‘critical risk’ and ‘small PCBU’ concepts; a shift in regulators’ functions; changes affecting officers’ obligations and duties; reforms relating to open spaces and earthquake-prone buildings; and updates around approved codes of practice. Join us for a practical overview of what these changes could mean for your business.

Jim Roberts

Partner
Hesketh Henry

Bridget Perkins

Solicitor
Hesketh Henry
10:00 am - 10:45 am
Wed 15 Jul

Beyond “She’ll Be Right”: Building the habit of health for the Next Generation of builders

Behind every build are people working through physical pressure, long hours, and demanding environments. The industry recorded more than 31,385 work-related injury claims (ACC 2024), while growing awareness around mental health is encouraging businesses to take a broader view of workforce wellbeing as the industry represents around 9.5% of the workforce, it accounts for nearly 30% of workforce suicides (Grant Thornton/MATES in Construction). In this session, Scott Jacobs will explore: What lies at the heart of the cliched “She’ll Be Right” attitude and why no ones tackling the issue, why earlier intervention changes recovery outcomes, how businesses can better support physical and mental wellbeing, and practical ways to build more resilient, sustainable construction workplaces.

Scott Jacobs

Chief Customer Officer
Habit Health
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Wed 15 Jul

The Words That Shape Safety: Turning Everyday Conversations into Safer Decisions

Most incidents don’t begin with a system failure, they begin with what’s said, misunderstood or unsaid in the moment. This session reveals how everyday language directly shapes attention, decisions, and whether people speak up and provides you practical ways to shift conversations for immediate safety impact. • Why common phrases like “be careful” fail – and what to say instead • How language drives attention, decision-making, and whether people speak up • Three powerful shifts: Vague to Specific, Blame to Curiosity, and Pressure to Prevention • Practical tools you can use tomorrow to reduce risk through better conversations • Strong safety culture enables clear, confident communication and encourages people to speak up early to prevent harm If you want to move beyond compliance and posters and instead influence what your people actually notice, say, and do in high-risk moments, this session will give you the language to lead safer outcomes in real time.

Rebekah Stephens

Health and Safety Advisor
EMA
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Wed 15 Jul

A Guide to Workplace Drug & Alcohol Testing

Join Glenn and Blair for an insightful presentation focusing on the current and evolving drug trends currently observed in workplace drug testing across New Zealand. The session will highlight the latest testing methodologies and technologies used to detect substances, emphasizing how advancements are shaping safer work environments. Glenn and Blair will also discuss the critical role of robust, fit-for-purpose Drug & Alcohol Policies, explaining why these policies are essential for maintaining safety, compliance, and staff wellbeing. Attendees will gain practical knowledge to assist managing and protecting their workplaces and support their teams.

Glenn Dobson

CEO
The Drug Detection Agency

Blair Larsen

Sales Manager
The Drug Detection Agency
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Wed 15 Jul

3 Easy Steps to Remove First Aid Risk

When a critical incident occurs, ticking a compliance box won't save a life, but preparedness will. Especially since the first person on the scene (which will be your employee) is the true first responder. Doing more than basic compliance is easier than you think… and it saves lives while safeguarding your business from the reputational risk of simply "doing what you’ve always done". Discover how to truly look after your employees and your organisation. Learn how to foster a proactive response attitude and engage your team in practical, hands-on training, not death by PowerPoint. Effortlessly elevate your workplace readiness and bring your first aid protocols up to speed for today's environment.  

Chris Hall

General Manager
Triple One Care

Marcel Nelson

National Training Manager
Triple One Care
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Wed 15 Jul

HSWA Amendment Bill … when the rubber hits the road

Join the Circus of Safety podcast team in this frank and practical panel discussion about the HSWA Amendment Bill and what it means for your business.

Brenton Harrison

Speaker | Podcaster | Part Time Safety Guy
Circus of Safety

Andrew Evans

Podcaster
Circus of Safety

Desai Link

Safety Practitioner, Author
Circus of Safety
10:00 am - 10:45 am
Thu 16 Jul

KEYNOTE: An Update from the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety

Hon Brooke van Velden is the Minister of Internal Affairs and for Workplace Relations and Safety. Brooke left the private sector to work behind the scenes in Parliament to help pass the End of Life Choice Act. Qualified in international trade and economics, Brooke has also been a factory worker and corporate affairs consultant. She was elected to Parliament as an ACT Party MP in 2020, returning as MP for Tāmaki in 2023.

Hon. Brooke van Velden MP

Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety
ACT Party
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Thu 16 Jul

Beyond Strains & Sprains: Designing Work That Protects Musculoskeletal Health and Strengthens Safety Culture

Strains and sprains remain the primary driver of lost time in NZ workplaces - yet the solution lies in how work is designed, not just how injuries are managed. This session unpacks how musculoskeletal tissue risk and safety culture intersect and what leaders can do differently to prevent harm before it escalates. Strains and sprains are the single biggest cause of lost time in NZ workplaces. Understanding work and work design is paramount to reduce the incidence of these conditions. Managing/treating the work, not the person, is key. Psychosocial risks compound physical injuries. There is no average person, so no one fix for all. The need to report early symptoms A strong safety culture reinforces early reporting, proactive work design, and better protection of musculoskeletal tissue.

If you’re serious about reducing harm, improving recovery outcomes, and embedding a culture where people speak up early, this session will challenge how you think about injury prevention at its core.

Paul Jarvie

Manager – Employer Relations and Safety Advocacy
EMA
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Thu 16 Jul

Navigating Change: What New Proposed Health & Safety Legislation Means For Your Business

The Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bill proposes major changes to New Zealand’s health and safety regime. If enacted in its current form, it would mark the most significant reform since the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. This presentation will outline the Bill’s key proposed changes, including the new ‘critical risk’ and ‘small PCBU’ concepts; a shift in regulators’ functions; changes affecting officers’ obligations and duties; reforms relating to open spaces and earthquake-prone buildings; and updates around approved codes of practice. Join us for a practical overview of what these changes could mean for your business.

Jim Roberts

Partner
Hesketh Henry

Bridget Perkins

Solicitor
Hesketh Henry

Exhibitor Prospectus

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