MPI releases new Health, Safety and Wellbeing Guidance for Transitional Facilities
- Greg Hoskins
- Oct 14
- 2 min read
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has released a new Health, Safety and Wellbeing Guidance Document (TFGEN-GD-HSW) to accompany the Standard for Transitional Facilities for General Uncleared Risk Goods (TFGEN).
Issued on 2 October 2025, this new guidance provides practical advice on how Transitional Facility Operators (TFOs) and Accredited Persons (APs) can meet their duties under both biosecurity and health and safety legislation.
The TFGEN has been updated as at 2 October 2025, and TF Operators will need to familiarise themselves with the updated standard alongside the accompanying TFGEN-GD-HSW.
The new HSW Guidance Document introduces clear, detailed expectations around how facilities and their staff manage overlapping Health and Safety at Work Act (2015) obligations while maintaining biosecurity compliance.
Why this matters
MPI’s release of the 2025 version reflects a growing emphasis on workplace health and safety and aligns the facility standard with other regulatory reforms.
The new HSW Guidance Document provides best-practice examples of how TFOs can:
Keep both MPI and facility workers safe during inspections;
Manage critical health and safety risks (such as hazardous substances, vehicles, fatigue, confined spaces, working at height, dusts, and fire risk);
Provide appropriate site inductions and communications before MPI staff arrive;
Prepare and agree on Safe Systems of Work (SSW) and Safety Analyses (SA) where tasks involve unusual or high-risk situations;
Align their HSW systems with WorkSafe NZ, EPA, MBIE, Maritime NZ and CAA guidance.
Shared duties under the HSWA
The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) requires Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) to consult, cooperate, and coordinate where their duties overlap. Because MPI and TFs are both PCBUs, they must jointly manage overlapping duties to protect MPI officers, TF workers, and the public.
The TFGEN-GD-HSW guidance explains how to meet these overlapping duties and provides examples of good practice. It emphasises that it does not replace legal obligations, but distinguishes between:
“Must”, a legal requirement under NZ legislation; and
“Should", a best-practice recommendation or guideline
Highlights from the new guidance
Site Induction and Communication: TFOs must ensure MPI staff receive an induction covering hazards, emergency procedures, and other PCBUs’ activities on site.
Critical Risk Management: Comprehensive expectations for handling hazardous substances, moving vehicles, fatigue, manual handling, noise, and extreme temperatures.
Specialised Operations: Guidance on vehicle inspections, stacked containers, grain storage, fumigation, and working near live animals.
Other Relevant Risks: Covers remote work, biological hazards, radiation, and aggressive interactions with external parties.
What TFOs should do
Update your documents: Ensure you are using the TFGEN dated 2 October 2025 and replace any references to the 2024 version. Keep both the TFGEN and TFGEN-GD-HSW easily accessible (digital or printed).
Enhance training: Update induction materials to include the HSW guidance on hazard communication and Safe Systems of Work.
Prepare for performance‑based audits: Review procedures and records to demonstrate compliance during your next performance based verification.
MPI will incorporate the new HSW guidance into its Accredited Person (AP) and Transitional Facility Operator (TFO) training courses and learning resources. These updates will help ensure all learners understand how biosecurity compliance and workplace safety responsibilities overlap under the Health and Safety at Work Act.