New Zealand leads drive for new Standard in shellfish testing
A precise technique for detecting toxins in shellfish is close to being accepted as a worldwide Standard, after validation by Industrial Research Limited (IRL) Measurement Standards Laboratory (MSL), and endorsement from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The LCMS test, based on an analytical chemistry technique, was developed by the Nelson-based Cawthron Institute, after an outbreak of shellfish poisoning in New Zealand in 1993. Cawthron became the first laboratory in the world approved to use the test.
‘The test provides a more accurate and sensitive method of detecting toxins in shellfish,’ says Cawthron’s technical manager, Paul McNabb. The existing testing method required by international regulators is a mouse bioassay, involving mice and the use of chemicals, and results can vary considerably.
IRL’s MSL recognised the need for validation and the potential for New Zealand to make a significant contribution to global concern about l ...read more [opens in new window]
Department of Labour launches online tool to help small businesses improve workplace safety
Any small business anywhere in New Zealand can now access the Department of Labour’s ‘Hazard Handler’ to build a customised hazard register.
The ‘Hazard Handler’ provides practical information on how to identify and manage both general and industry-specific health and safety issues. It is targeted at small businesses without a hazard management system. ‘It can show them what they need to do – it is there to provide the first steps towards identifying hazards and risks for all their employees so they can install systems to improve workplace health and safety,’ says Trevor Mallard, Minister of Labour.
A complete online self-assessment of workplace hazards takes one to two hours to complete. Each question has hints and tips for managing dangerous equipment and materials. When the questions are finished, the user downloads a personalised hazard register.
‘Eligible small businesses within the forestry, residential construction, agriculture, motor trade, and road ...read more [opens in new window]