Legislative Acts which establish boundaries of massage practice in New Zealand/Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995

Objectives of the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations Act 1995

This Act describes the health and safety requirements for people (including massage therapists) working in small businesses with the intention of minimizing work-related injury and illness rates:

• Specifies what constitutes acceptable levels of training and supervision for employees. Employees undertaking tasks where they have not been adequately trained can cause serious injury or even death.
• Hazard management to improve health and safety in the workplace
• Planning and managing health and safety incidents and emergencies that might arise in the workplace

Implications of the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations Act 1995 to massage practice

Level of training

Massage therapists should not perform work or be expected to perform work for which they have not had adequate training. Elements of massage training which are particularly relevant to this act are

• Massage techniques
• Understanding of contraindications to massage
• Body mechanics, and self-care (e.g. post-treatment stretching)

Hazard Management

Every workplace should have hazard management processes which should include

• Planning to identify possible hazards
• Planning how to deal with identified hazards
• Processes for managing hazards as they arise
• Processes for minimizing the risk of hazards after their incidence