Background
A sole trader operating as a licensed private investigator engaged HSCA to assist with health and safety system development. Their core work involved the field delivery of sensitive legal and financial documents to individuals across the Auckland region and beyond — often working alone, and occasionally in unpredictable or high-risk environments.
The client was seeking SiteWise prequalification, with a goal of achieving a Gold standard rating, despite having no employees, no fixed workplace, and minimal perceived risk. The unique challenge was to develop an Occupational Health & Safety Management System (OHSM) that was proportionate, evidence-based, and fit-for-purpose for a lone worker field operation.
Challenges
- Lone Working Risk: The client frequently worked in isolation, engaging members of the public with little control over environmental conditions or recipient behaviour.
- Privacy Compliance: Handling of highly sensitive documents (e.g. legal summons, insurance claims) required rigorous data protection and secure handling procedures.
- Low Perceived Risk, High Reputational Consequence: While the physical risk was moderate, the impact of a privacy breach, conflict escalation, or incident was significant both legally and professionally.
- Minimal Resources: As a sole trader, the client had limited internal admin or reporting infrastructure.
HSCA’s Approach
Using HSCA’s proven OHSM template framework and in-depth understanding of SiteWise scoring criteria, we:
Tailored the OHSM to a sole trader context, removing irrelevant construction-based content and replacing it with focused sections on:
- Lone worker safety planning
- GPS/location tracking
- Threat and duress response
- Mental wellbeing management
- Secure document handling procedures
Developed a complete suite of appendices, including:
- Risk Register (highlighting privacy breach, lone working, dog hazards, and fatigue)
- Vehicle safety checklist
- Daily safety planning tool
- Emergency contact protocols
- Training and licensing record
- Incident reporting templates
Created plain-language policies that aligned with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and the Privacy Act 2020 — and were practical for field implementation.
Provided client coaching and quick-reference tools to support real-world use, not just box-ticking.
Outcome
Following HSCA’s guidance and the implementation of a fully customised OHSM, the client:
- Passed SiteWise assessment on first submission
- Achieved a Gold accreditation rating
- Gained confidence in their ability to safely manage lone work risks
- Strengthened trust with corporate clients by demonstrating strong H&S and privacy systems
Summary
This case study demonstrates how a highly tailored, context-specific approach to health and safety can deliver meaningful compliance outcomes — even for small, mobile businesses. With HSCA’s expertise, even low-risk industries can achieve SiteWise Gold and ensure robust protection for themselves and their clients.