Dear WorkSafe New Zealand,

I am writing under the Official Information Act to request information regarding WorkSafe’s expectations and records related to fatal road crashes occurring on detour routes. Specifically, I would like to know:

1) Does WorkSafe expect to be notified of fatal road crashes that occur on official detour routes where a road closure was planned?

2) Does WorkSafe expect to be notified of fatal crashes on official detour routes where a road closure was unplanned, such as following an emergency incident?

3) Does WorkSafe expect to be notified of fatal crashes on wider detour routes that are not part of the official signed detour, but are commonly used during planned road closures? For example, as referenced in the ACE NZ article: https://www.acenz.org.nz/new_changes_for...

4) How many fatal road crashes on road detour routes were notified to WorkSafe during the 2024/25 financial year?

Yours faithfully,
Ms R Newton

Dear Ministerial Services – WorkSafe,

If I have understood your reply correctly you would expect a fatal crash on a detour, where the detour is caused by a contractor's works, to be notified by the PCBU carrying out the works? Or you would expect, through your memorandum with the Police, that the Police would notify you of a fatal crash on a detour, where the detour is caused by a contractor's works, if it involved a commercial vehicle?

You stated that there are no files involving fatalities related to car crashes on Detour routes have been found for the 2024/25 year - Are you aware that there were in fact several fatal crashes that occurred on detour routes last financial year? This is a link to a news article of just one of these incidents:
https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/nz-news/3...
As these notifiable events appear to be going unreported is WorkSafe being proactive to ensure contractors and clients know these should be notified?

Yours sincerely,

R Newton