Forest Industry Safety Council honours contribution of Helen Kelly

The Forest Industry Safety Council (FISC) is saddened to hear of the passing of Helen Kelly, former NZCTU President and passionate advocate for health and safety at work.

"Helen was instrumental in driving reforms of health and safety in the forest industry over the past 3-4 years," says FISC National Safety Director Fiona Ewing.

"Through our Council we will continue to work with forest owners, contractors, unions and forest workers to strongly support her goal of improving health and safety in forestry – particularly worker engagement and participation."

"Helen was a catalyst for change who motivated the forestry industry to work together to make our industry safer and more professional," says PJ & MJ Olsen Managing Director Paul Olsen, who represents forestry contractors on the Council.

"She worked alongside forest owners to implement an independent review of health and safety in forestry, and FISC is one of the positives to come out of that, says Paul Burridge from Summit Forests NZ, who represents forest owners on the Council.

"Helen’s hard work, and her commitment to fairness and justice, had a significant impact on the lives of people working in forestry. We are a better country for her achievements,” says Robert Reid, First Union General Secretary, who represent unions on the Council.

Moe mai ra e te tuahine moe mai ra, moe mai ra. Ma te atua hei tiaki hei manaaki i tō haerenga ki tō kainga tō whare okioki.

(To our sister may you rest in peace and may God take care of you on your journey home to your resting place.)

The Forest Industry Safety Council (FISC) was set up in 2015 and was a recommendation of the Independent Forestry Safety Review. The Council includes representatives of forest owners, contractors, workers and unions. It has a mandate to lead and coordinate efforts to improve health and safety across the plantation forestry sector. It runs the safetree.nz website.

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