Practical answers to common H&S questions

An eSafety Health & Safety manual gives your business a practical structure for managing health and safety and is designed around the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. The current eSafety Lite, Standard and Premium manuals have been updated to reflect the Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026 changes taking effect on 1 April 2027, including the new critical-risk framework. Our Standard, Premium and ISO systems are also designed to support the documented requirements commonly requested by prequalification systems such as SiteWise, Tōtika, IMPAC, SHE and Prequal, as well as principal-contractor and contractor-management forms. Your manual comes with the relevant forms in Word, so you do not have to use the eSafety App. If you choose to use the App, it is a practical way to keep the day-to-day evidence — JSAs, inspections, incidents, training, contractor records, meetings and other safety records — organised and accessible. The system still needs to be reviewed, used and kept current for the work your business actually does. Compare the H&S packages.

The terms are often used loosely. A Health & Safety policy is usually a statement or set of commitments and rules. A manual brings the policies, procedures, forms and guidance together. A Health & Safety system is the wider way those documents, risk registers, responsibilities and records are actually used in the business. eSafety H&S packages provide the documented framework as a manual, with the relevant Word forms and risk-register content for the package and work you select. The system still needs to be implemented, reviewed and kept current. See the eSafety Health & Safety manuals and systems.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 places health and safety duties on PCBUs, including most companies, sole traders and self-employed people. The Act does not simply say that every business must buy or hold a particular written manual. In practice, written policies, procedures and records are often the easiest way to show how risks are being managed, and clients or prequalification schemes may require documented evidence. See the eSafety H&S packages.

WorkSafe can take enforcement action and offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act can lead to significant penalties. The issue is failure to meet health and safety duties — not simply whether you own an eSafety manual. A good system helps you organise the policies, procedures and records needed to manage those duties properly. See H&S consultancy and implementation support.

Yes. A sole trader or self-employed person can be a PCBU under the Health and Safety at Work Act. You must manage risks from your work so far as is reasonably practicable, including risks to yourself and other people who may be affected. Many principal contractors and clients also require sole traders to provide health and safety documentation before starting work. If you buy an eSafety manual, the relevant forms are supplied in Word and can be used without the App. The eSafety App is optional, but for a sole trader it can be a simple way to keep JSAs, inspections, incidents, training and other safety records together so you have a clear record of what you have actually done. See H&S packages for smaller businesses or see the eSafety App.

No. eSafety NZ Limited is an independent New Zealand business. Government agencies do not endorse private health and safety providers simply because they sell policies or systems. About eSafety NZ.

Our Health & Safety and ISO systems are designed around the New Zealand health and safety framework and relevant management-system requirements. The current Lite, Standard and Premium manuals have also been updated to reflect the Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026 changes taking effect on 1 April 2027. No provider can honestly guarantee that buying a document automatically makes a business compliant. Compliance depends on the work you do, the risks involved, and whether the system is properly reviewed, implemented and maintained. See the H&S packages.

Yes. The Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026 has been passed and comes into force on 1 April 2027. Until then, the current Health and Safety at Work Act duties continue to apply. The amendments introduce the new critical-risk framework and different risk-management treatment for small and large PCBUs. eSafety's current Lite, Standard and Premium manuals have been updated to reflect these changes so customers ordering a current manual receive a system built around the amended framework. A manual still needs to be completed, used, reviewed and maintained for the business and its actual risks. See the updated H&S packages or read WorkSafe's guidance on the changes.

There is no single Health & Safety policy, manual or system that is best for every New Zealand business. The right choice depends on the work you do, the risks involved, the size and complexity of the business, what clients or prequalification schemes expect, and how much help you need to put the system into practice. A useful comparison should look beyond the front cover and check what policies, procedures, forms, risk-register content, personalisation, updates, delivery time and support are actually included. eSafety H&S packages are designed to give New Zealand businesses a practical documented framework that can be selected around the work and risks of the business. See the eSafety H&S packages.

Do not compare Health & Safety systems on price or page count alone. Check what you actually receive and whether it fits the work your business does. This is the sort of comparison we think is useful:

The aim is not to find the biggest manual. It is to find a system that fits the business, can actually be used, and gives you the documents and records you need without unnecessary complexity.

There is no single Health & Safety App that is best for every New Zealand business. The right choice depends on your industry, the number of workers and App users, the sites you manage and the records you need. eSafety is designed for New Zealand sole traders, trade crews, contractors and growing companies managing multiple workers and sites. Lite supports up to 15 active workers, includes 2 App logins and allows up to 2 extra individual-user add-ons (4 logins maximum). Standard starts with 50 active workers and 5 App logins; each additional Standard 5-user pack adds 5 logins, 20 active worker spaces and 10GB storage. Workers do not each need a paid login to have their training, induction and safety records managed. Alongside JSAs, SOPs and SWMS, eSafety handles inspections, incidents, contractors, training and safety meetings with connected follow-up records. See the eSafety App.

A Health & Safety App should make the work easier to manage and leave a useful record of what was actually done. The exact mix depends on the business, but these are practical features worth comparing:

The best App is the one your people will actually use and that gives the business useful evidence without creating another layer of unnecessary admin.

Yes. eSafety includes a detailed SWMS form covering the work scope, high-risk or critical-work triggers, work steps, hazards, initial and residual risk ratings, controls, PPE, planning requirements, emergency or rescue arrangements, worker consultation, signatures, review and approval. SWMS can be created manually or with optional AI Assist. A paid SWMS AI session uses 2 AI credits and includes one regeneration of the same draft. AI output is a drafting aid and must be reviewed and adapted for the actual work and site before use. See eSafety App features.

Risk ID records one hazard or safety concern at a time. It records how the issue was identified, the hazard and potential harm, people at risk, the initial risk rating, controls using the hierarchy of controls, PPE, residual risk, recommendations and action items. It can then be reviewed and closed by an authorised user with signatures and a final locked PDF. Optional AI Assist can draft the hazard assessment, controls, risk ratings and PPE using 1 AI credit, with one regeneration included. Risk ID is currently a separate record: it does not automatically write the item into the company Risk Register, although the form includes fields to record whether the Risk Register has been updated and its section or reference. See eSafety App features.

Yes. eSafety can surface dashboard reminders and send email reminders for saved expiry, renewal and service information so important dates are less likely to disappear inside separate registers. Current reminder information includes items such as SDS expiry dates, external training expiry, plant and vehicle servicing, registration, WOF / COF and Test & Tag dates. See eSafety App features.

eSafety H&S packages are built online in 3 easy steps. Lite is $640 inc GST, Standard is $940 inc GST and Premium is $1,240 inc GST. You choose the package, select the industry, work areas and relevant risk modules, then add your business details and complete the order online. A one-on-one scoping or consultancy session is not included as standard. Consultancy and implementation support are available separately if required. Extra business modules and optional add-ons can change the final price, so the order builder shows the total before you submit. Every manual order includes the relevant forms in Word, so the eSafety App is optional rather than something you have to buy to use the system. See H&S package pricing and inclusions.

eSafety ISO 45001 is currently $2,590 including GST. The Combined ISO 45001, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 integrated management system is $3,890 including GST. The ISO 45001 package includes a personalised management system, supporting Word documents and forms, self-implementation guidance, company logo and up to two risk modules. See the ISO packages or contact eSafety if you need an ISO system while online ISO ordering is unavailable.

eSafety App Lite is $28.75 including GST per month for up to 15 active workers, 2 billable App users and 64GB storage, with a 28-day free start and no payment card required to begin. Lite can add up to 2 additional individual App users at $2.88 each per month, for a maximum of 4 App logins; these extra individual users do not increase the 15-worker allowance. Standard is $46.00 including GST per month for up to 50 active workers, 5 billable App users and 128GB storage. Each additional Standard 5-user pack is $11.50 per month including GST and adds 5 App logins, 20 active worker spaces and 10GB storage. Workers and App users are different: not every worker needs their own paid login. Optional AI Assist is $11.50 for 10 credits as either a one-off purchase with no monthly renewal or a recurring monthly add-on that supplies 10 additional credits at each normal monthly renewal until cancelled. JSA, SOP and Risk ID drafts use 1 credit; SWMS uses 2 credits. Each paid AI session includes one regeneration of the same draft. See eSafety App pricing and features.

eSafety is an installable web app, so there is no separate App Store or Google Play download. Create your company or log in through your browser, then install eSafety from the browser onto your Home Screen, desktop, taskbar or Dock. It will then open from its own icon like a normal app while using the same eSafety account and data. See the installation steps for your device.

You receive the manual for the package you choose, the relevant forms for each included section in Word format, and risk-register content based on the work and risk modules selected for your business. The current Lite, Standard and Premium manuals have been updated to reflect the Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026 changes taking effect on 1 April 2027. The Word forms are supplied as part of the manual, so you can run the system without the eSafety App. The App is an optional alternative for completing day-to-day forms and keeping the resulting evidence and records together online. See what is included in each H&S package.

No. Every eSafety manual order includes the relevant forms in Word, so you can use the policy and forms without the App. The eSafety App is completely optional. It gives you another way to manage forms, workers, inspections, JSAs, incidents, training, contractors, meetings and other H&S records, and can make it easier to keep evidence organised in one place. See how the eSafety App works.

Yes. The eSafety App is available as a standalone online H&S management system. Businesses that already have a suitable policy can use the App for day-to-day safety forms and records without buying another manual. Likewise, businesses that buy an eSafety manual do not have to subscribe to the App because the relevant forms are also supplied in Word. See the standalone eSafety App.

Prequalification assessors often want evidence that safety issues have been identified, discussed and followed up — not just copies of inspection or incident reports. In eSafety, Safety Meetings can load open inspection issues, relevant incidents and near misses, and unresolved actions from previous approved meetings for one site or all sites. Inspection issues can be marked completed with dates and their issue tracking updated when the meeting is saved; incident investigations still need to be completed and approved in the Incident Report. Meeting attendance, signatures, assigned actions and approved meeting PDFs help show what was discussed and followed up. That makes it easier to find supporting evidence for SiteWise, Tōtika, IMPAC, SHE and other prequalification assessments. The App helps organise records but cannot guarantee an assessor’s score or approval. See how the eSafety App works.

No provider can guarantee another organisation's score or approval. Our Standard, Premium and ISO systems are designed to support the sort of documented evidence commonly requested by prequalification systems such as SiteWise, Tōtika, IMPAC, SHE and Prequal, but the final result depends on your business, your evidence, how the system is implemented, and the rules of the organisation doing the assessment. The relevant Word forms supplied with the manual can be used to maintain that evidence, or you can use the optional eSafety App to keep day-to-day records organised online. See the H&S packages or see prequalification and consultancy support.

eSafety is designed for New Zealand businesses from sole traders and small trade crews through to growing companies managing dozens of workers, contractors and multiple sites. It suits construction and trades, retail, warehousing, workshops, mechanics and other businesses needing practical day-to-day Health & Safety management. The Standard App plan includes 50 active worker records and 5 App logins, and each additional Standard 5-user pack adds 20 active worker spaces, 5 logins and 10GB storage. Worker records and App logins are separate, so not every worker needs their own login. The H&S manual packages can be tailored to the selected industry, work areas and risks; the App is available separately or alongside a manual. If your industry is not listed, select the closest option and contact us about the work you actually do. See the H&S packages or see the eSafety App.

Choose the closest business module and complete the order, then contact us. We can review the work your business actually does and customise the risk content where required rather than forcing you into a category that does not fit. Contact eSafety about your industry.

Yes. The eSafety App is designed to manage multiple workers, contractors and sites, and Standard starts with 50 active worker records and 5 App user logins. Each additional Standard 5-user pack adds 20 active worker spaces, 5 App logins and 10GB storage. For example, Standard with three extra 5-user packs provides space for 110 active workers and 20 App logins. Worker records and App logins are separate — not every worker needs paid access. Lite provides up to 15 active worker records and 2 included App logins, expandable to 4 logins with individual-user add-ons (without increasing the 15-worker allowance). For H&S manuals, Premium is the more comprehensive option for larger or more complex businesses, while ISO 45001 or the Combined ISO package is available for formal management-system requirements. Explore the eSafety App, compare H&S packages or see the ISO systems.

ISO 45001 focuses on occupational health and safety management. The Combined package includes everything in the ISO 45001 package plus ISO 14001 environmental management and ISO 9001 quality management content in one integrated system. Compare the ISO packages.

Yes. Consultancy, implementation support, training, audit preparation and site visits are available separately. Additional charges may apply depending on what you need and where you are located. See eSafety consultancy services.

Once payment has been received, policy and manual orders are emailed within three business days, but are generally completed within 24 hours on a weekday. Your order confirmation should arrive shortly after submission; check your junk or spam folder if it does not appear. Choose your H&S package.

Yes. Prices shown on the public eSafety website are NZD and include 15% GST unless a page clearly says otherwise. The order summary also shows the GST component. See H&S package pricing, ISO pricing or App pricing.

Yes. eSafety NZ Limited is based in Tauranga and works with businesses throughout New Zealand. Read about eSafety NZ or contact us.