scope:

Foreword

In New Zealand more people are injured in the home than any other environment. On average 12 New Zealanders lose their lives every week as a result of accidents they have at home and many more people are seriously injured (Source: Safety NZ Week 2010). Beyond the personal costs for individuals, families, and friends that these injuries and deaths cause, there is also a social and economic toll to home injuries. According to a report published by the University of Otago, Wellington in 2011 the social costs of injury in the home are about $13 billion a year.

This guide has been developed to address this issue by reducing hazards in the home through better design, building, and maintenance.

This easy-to-use guide provides a general overview of steps that can be taken through design, building, and maintenance to reduce hazards in the home. The guide is recommended for people who undertake do-it-yourself projects, homeowners, tenants, and real estate agents, as well as a wide range of people in the building industry such as builders, architects, engineers, plumbers, electricians, glaziers, and landscapers.

In discussing common safety hazards in the home, the guide identifies what actions are required under the New Zealand Building Code (NZBC) or other legislation. It also provides design, building, and maintenance recommendations that are beyond minimum legal requirements, but are considered good practice for reducing hazards in the home. It is strongly recommended that when undertaking a building or major home renovation project certified professionals should be consulted with through the design and building process.

As part of the scoping review for the guide, it was agreed a series of brochures should also be produced for consumers to promote awareness about safe home design, building, and maintenance practices. These consumer brochures are to be available online at no cost through the ACC website and, while supplies last, in hard copy through various home improvement stores.

This guide has been completely revised from the previous NZS 4102:1996.