29 February 2024 
 
 
File Ref: 240120 
Erika Whittome  
[FYI request #25802 email] 
 
Dear Erika 
 
Thank you for your Official Information Act request received on 20 February 2024. You requested: 
 
1. Would you please share how many workplaces you were informed of, OR were aware of 
that have/had Covid-19 as a disease which arose in the workplace as a result of the nature 
of work taking place? 
2. Would you please share the type of workplaces these workplaces are/were and which 
industry they are in, eg health sector, bioengineering, education, construction etc. 
 
Information being released  
 
WorkSafe New Zealand has received 23 notifications of COVID-19 under section 199 of the Health 
and Safety at Work Act 2015 since December 2019 up until the present day.  
 
Of these notifications, 19 were from the education sector and 4 from the health sector.  
 
It is important to note that the Health and Safety at Work Act is aimed at risks and hazards that 
arise in the workplace or from work, rather than public health issues (that may or may not be 
attributed to work). This may explain why a relatively small number of COVID-19 notifications 
were made to WorkSafe. 
 
This reply addresses the information you requested. You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to 
investigate and review my decision, and further information is available at 
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.  
 
If you require further assistance, please contact [email address]. 
 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
 
 
Darren Handforth 
Interim Head of Inspectorate  
 

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