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4 | HIRE
AND
RENTAL
NEWS
| NOVEMBER 2012
ASSOCIATION NEWS
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Updates, opportunities and legislative factions
Bi-Energy
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“Basic calculations
on the cost of (PPSA)
compliance for
members indicate
it will cost our core
membership
(employing less than
20 people) an extra
$80,000 per year.”
The newly relaunched HRIA
webpage is now live and is
being well received; I know I’m
finding it easier to navigate
and am finding the new ‘search
boxes’ have improved usability.
Every member should take
advantage of the new site
and get online to check their
company details in the member
services area. It’s easy. (See the
details for how to do this in
News In Brief in the Industry
News section of this issue).
The ‘Resources’ tab on
the webpage containing
‘Employment Opportunities’ is
also gaining interest. This is only
for members’ use at this stage
and we hope it helps in your
employment quests.
There are lots of resources
available at hireandrental.com.
au (like HRNet; PPSA updates
and guidance notes) so get
online and take advantage of
these free opportunities.
While we’re talking about
opportunities, the HIANZ
conference was a great success
and was well supported by
many Australian HRIA members.
It was a fabulous few days in a
beautiful place (Queenstown)
and the Kiwis sure know how to
focus attention on the suppliers,
helicoptering everyone in for a
day of digging, skeet shooting
and rally car driving. Oh yeah,
and some time to talk to
suppliers and check out their
new equipment.
Networking was rife with hot
topics of discussion focusing on
the recovering NZ market; the
newly drafted NZ Best Practice
Marquee Guide; changes to NZ
Dangerous Goods and Transport
legislation; and seatbelt
requirements. If you’re working
in or looking to work in the
NZ marketplace, make sure
you’re up to date with recent
legislative and WH&S changes.
Speaking of WH&S, a recent
accident highlighted the
problems of petrol engine use
in confined spaces. In this case,
a hired generator was used in
a bakery with a fatality due to
carbon monoxide poisoning.
It is always best practice to
ask the customer how they
are using the equipment;
verbally warn about this sort
of danger as well as use a
documented safety sheet and
sign off, referring back to the
owner’s manual. Now might
be a good time to audit and
ensure all manufacturer decals
that relate to safety are legible
and replace worn out decals
where necessary. Any fatality or
injury needs to be eliminated
permanently.
Also, thank you to everyone
who participated in the Best
Practise and portable toilet
surveys. I’m sure all those who
participated will find the results
invaluable. If you’ve never
participated, go to the HRIA
website and review the details.
And in legislative news, the
HRIA and EWPA, represented
by CEO Phil Newby and EWPA
National President Tim Nuttall,
met with the Minister for Small
Business, and the Shadow
Minister, in Canberra in August
to discuss the impact of the
legislative changes of the PPSA
to the hire industry.
For the HRIA, this meeting
was all about getting the issue
in front of politicians and was
successful with both Ministers
briefed on the PPSA’s wealth
destroying implications.
Basic calculations on the cost
of compliance for members
indicate it will cost our core
membership (employing less
than 20 people) an extra
$80,000 per year.
While this initial meeting
went extremely well, the PPSA
and hire continues to be a
work in progress and further
meetings with political factions
are in planning.
Mark Scarce
HRIA National President