In the New Zealand bush, a lost signal isn’t an inconvenience—it’s a liability.
Forestry workers are frequently isolated by the nature and location of their work, meaning help is often miles away. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), failing to maintain a reliable connection with these workers isn’t just a risk—it’s a breach of duty.
Failure to communicate is a failure of duty
Under the HSWA 2015, New Zealand PCBUs must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers who are alone. This requires identifying specific forestry hazards, assessing the risks of isolation, and implementing controls that ensure a worker can be reached and heard when they cannot be seen.
A policy document does not call for help
What we consistently see in the forestry sector is a reliance on mobile phone apps in zero-coverage zones or treating PLBs as lone worker solutions. A PLB is an emergency beacon, not a monitoring system; it offers no check-in capability and no No-Motion Alert, leaving a massive gap in liability and worker safety.
Real-time visibility replaces guesswork
Genuine protection in remote forestry environments requires satellite connectivity to bypass cellular dead zones. This must be paired with professional monitoring that triggers an immediate response to a No-Motion Alert or a missed check-in, ensuring that “reasonably practicable” protection is an operational reality, not a paper exercise.
Guardian Angel Safety: Turning Policy Into Real Protection
For over 12 years, we have converted compliance obligations into working infrastructure across Australia and New Zealand. We provide satellite-connected devices and 24/7 professional monitoring to ensure that when a worker is isolated, they are never truly alone.
Content prepared by Guardian Angel Safety — lone and remote worker protection across Australia and New Zealand.
