CEO Diary

and thanks in advance for reading my 6-monthly run-down on the association and other things. I know this is not the best editorial you could read today and given the choice, I’d rather just say it rather than trying to put it all down in flowing sentences and topical subject matter. But here goes...

Iwant to Start off with a phrase that I am using more and more, FOR INDUSTRY, BY INDUSTRY. Either way round, I don’t think it matters but this is the crux of everything we do and what I’m going to talk about next. Basically, as an association we are going to be stepping up and taking control of our industry before someone else tells us what to do. Get ready to hear this phrase more and more I want to use this column to discuss a serious matter and a topic that I feel passionate about. The topic is “Duty of Care”. What is “Duty of Care”? This is the supply chain taking responsibility for downstream actions or inactions. In the Hire Industry case, when we hire out some equipment, we have a duty to make sure it is used in the proper and safest manner. Technically, what this means is we cannot contract out of our responsibility to make sure everyone using or around our equipment is safe from potential and actual harm. This is a biggie! It has always been around, but we are seeing an increased focus by the regulator on this matter. In actual fact, I write this prior to going into WorkSafe to meet with them on exactly this. There may be a late posted separate article in the magazine on this. aS an aSSocIatIon we have done an OK job on this topic already. HIANZ has for some time now provided warning and safety stickers and signs for equipment. Over the years we have provided all manner of safe operation documents, handbooks and courses. Our “Ready to Hire Tags” are a great example of this and if you haven’t seen it yet, our website has the Ready to Hire Tag system procedure to refer to also. As recent as last year, we have created a library of Electronic Safety Data Sheets (ESDS) and we are constantly updating and expanding that library. This though is still not enough for you to show evidence of your duty of care. Over the coming months as we learn the direction the regulator is going with this and what is considered practicable steps by our industry, something I will be working hard to show WorkSafe is, how difficult it is for us once the gear has left the hire yard to know how and by who the equipment is being used, and that we can only do so much before the duty transfers to others. My advice to you now is that you should at least be using our library of ESDS sheets and should be making sure the hirer has been given adequate instruction on the use of it – even those highly competent/complacent clients, and every contract should be signed acknowledging receiving the supporting information and safe use instructions. A signature won’t get you out of your obligations but goes some ways to showing you have been disciplined and structured in your approach to actively looking after the hirer. Going forward, we will be looking at what extra value assistance we can provide for you all and may indeed call on your help with ideas and creation of standards and practices around the “Duty of Care”. Developing a suite of Industry good/best practice guidelines to support your business is also on the cards. If YoU havEn’t already, can you carry out our survey that we have running. We are very keen to close it off and report the results at Conference in August. Dr Hester Cooper, Market Researcher, is assisting on this survey. She is going to “read the leaves in our teacup” and help us decipher your responses. We have put an incentive via a prize draw for an “Air NZ mystery weekend for two” for every person that says I’m a nice guy – sorry, I mean for every person that answers the survey and gives us their contact details. The link is open to all members and staff. confErEncE IS comIng!! Kylene and I are excited about getting the opportunity to meet you all and for you see the hard yakka we have put into organising our first Association Conference for you. Hopefully you won’t be disappointed. At the Regional Meetings we opened applications for the Hire Excellence Awards. The Hire Excellence Awards are about being rewarded for the good work you are doing as a hire business. This year’s judges are, Mark Bacon of Party Warehouse and Hireking, Tim Mikkelsen of Kapiti Hire and Ex-President of HIANZ and finally, returning judge Angie Williams from OSHBox. I think this year the judging will be so on point that the feedback will be most helpful for you going forward. on KYLEnE, she has been very busy assisting me with, Regional Meetings and Conference, on top of the Silvercard Assessor improvements, end of year, new year subscriptions and day to day enquiries. She has been invaluable. Kylene is available between 9am and 5pm everyday either via her email office@hianz.net. nz or the Association landline. When I am busy with someone or already on the phone, my calls divert to her. This way we make sure one of us talks to you and can offer the help you need. Kylene wins the HIANZ employee of the month this month – actually she wins it every month… Thanks, Kylene for your support. Also, in other parts of the magazine, you will find some very well written articles from the CEO of the EWPA and the NZFIA. He has the gift of the editorial brilliance that guy... a coUPLE of thIngS on the go right now that have an effect on you and the services, we provide. We have an RFP out for Employment Support Services. We are seeking increased support for you on all matters with employment of your team. Recent issues that we have seen suggest you need support with are around the changes in holidays, sick pay, and the government initiated Fair Pay agreements. These have the potential to affect you all. We also have an RFP out for Terms

we now seek a staff member to come into the association to take on the role of technical manager ”

of Trade and Debtor Management Services. Our current provider is EC Credit Control, who have been providing this service for some time now. We want to test the market in this space and make sure we are getting the right support and value available. Youngman Richardson and Co have been great supporters of the association as the Principal Sponsor for many years. This is a three-year tenure and is open to all Associates to tender to hold this prestigious position. The financial support from the sponsorship goes a long way to making the conference a great success each year and the non-financial support of promoting our association to non-member hire companies, assisting in promoting the association activities etc can’t be overstated. My thanks on behalf of the association goes out to Ed, Phil and the team at Youngman Richardson for the continued support they have given the association during their tenure as principal sponsors. We do however need to offer the opportunity to all associates to step up and receive the accolades the association gives to the principal sponsor in return for the support given. We will opening the tender up at the end of our conference after the full exposure the principal sponsor gets is realised. If you know of anyone that would be interested in providing any of these, please get them to make contact with us. LaSt toPIc of my article is just a re-affirmation to you all about us hiring a new staff member. HIANZ has seen a bit of change over the last couple of years. When I took over last year, it was well placed as a very supportive association to its members. It was also ready to take the next step and lift its game. I have had the year to assess our position and as a board, we are implementing a game plan to offer tangible value back to the membership. There were some good business cases from the past on ideas of growth and support services, so with this, my assessment, the game plan and direction, we now seek a staff member to come into the association to take on the role of Technical Manager. The role is all about standards, auditing, mentoring and measuring. I have had great interest in the role that was advertised via Buchanan Recruitment on Trademe. aS mUch as an affinity and/or experience of our industry is high on the skills list, sometimes a view from a different perspective is very good too. I am not out to pinch your staff; I want to grow our “Team Hire” community. I am sure there will be a couple of people eager to work with me (I hope) or they want the opportunity to add value to the industry. We will respectfully keep confidential any applicant but as I settle on a shortlist, I feel I have an obligation to let you know and I will be highlighting this to the applicant that they need to tell you or give me authorisation to declare it. My first priority is your vote of confidence. ■

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