A major law firm has launched a new health and safety consultancy, in time for the new Health & Safety at Work Act.
Simpson Grierson has launched a health and safety consultancy with the appointment of Terry Johnson as director and special advisor.
This will be the first role within a law firm for Johnson, who has worked in health and safety and Human Resources for over 20 years. He said he made the switch to Simpson Grierson because of the firm’s stellar reputation in the health and safety area.
“There will be greater health and safety auditing, reporting and due diligence obligations on businesses from next year,” Johnson told NZ Lawyer.
“While Simpson Grierson has been providing legal support in the area of health and safety for some time, many of our clients have begun to ask for greater support, as a result of the new Health & Safety at Work Act, which will become law on 4 April 2016.”
As part of the new role, Johnson will help clients to develop and implement health and safety strategies including training, reporting and audit processes.
“We plan to take the extensive practical experience I have and combine it with the excellent legal services available at Simpson Grierson, to create a leading health and safety advisory business in New Zealand,” he said.
“I'm really excited about getting out and working with organisations big and small and with all different risk profiles. We have some great business leaders in NZ who want to do the right thing for their people in the area of health and safety but often struggle to understand the right areas to start with, and how to balance the compliance need with operational requirements. I look forward to helping those leaders solve that problem.”
Terry took up the role at Simpson Grierson on 19 October.
This will be the first role within a law firm for Johnson, who has worked in health and safety and Human Resources for over 20 years. He said he made the switch to Simpson Grierson because of the firm’s stellar reputation in the health and safety area.
“There will be greater health and safety auditing, reporting and due diligence obligations on businesses from next year,” Johnson told NZ Lawyer.
“While Simpson Grierson has been providing legal support in the area of health and safety for some time, many of our clients have begun to ask for greater support, as a result of the new Health & Safety at Work Act, which will become law on 4 April 2016.”
As part of the new role, Johnson will help clients to develop and implement health and safety strategies including training, reporting and audit processes.
“We plan to take the extensive practical experience I have and combine it with the excellent legal services available at Simpson Grierson, to create a leading health and safety advisory business in New Zealand,” he said.
“I'm really excited about getting out and working with organisations big and small and with all different risk profiles. We have some great business leaders in NZ who want to do the right thing for their people in the area of health and safety but often struggle to understand the right areas to start with, and how to balance the compliance need with operational requirements. I look forward to helping those leaders solve that problem.”
Terry took up the role at Simpson Grierson on 19 October.
