Building safety into a legacy manufacturing environment
with Northpine
Building safety into a legacy manufacturing environment
with Northpine
Operating in a timber manufacturing environment with significant machinery, chemical and mobile plant risks, Northpine has made safety a core part of how it works. Through ongoing investment in people, training and risk management, the company has steadily strengthened its approach to workplace safety while modernising a site that dates back to the post-war era.
For Northpine Health and Safety Officer John Lumby, creating a safer workplace is about more than compliance. It is about building a culture where safety is embedded into every stage of work, guided by the principle: “Safety first, safety last, safety always.”
Key outcomes
Health and safety integrated into the ongoing modernisation of a legacy timber manufacturing site
Comprehensive risk management approach across machinery, hazardous substances and mobile plant
Strong investment in workforce training and capability development
Structured safety onboarding and competency-based training for new employees
Safety embedded into operational and strategic decision-making
The challenge
Managing critical risks in a high-hazard environment
Northpine is an award-winning timber manufacturer based in Waipu, producing structural timber for customers across New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region. Like many timber manufacturing operations, the business manages a range of serious workplace hazards. These include fixed machinery, hazardous chemicals, boilers, forklifts, trucks and loaders.
The challenge was made more complex by the age of the site. The original mill dates back to 1946, and while modern equipment has been progressively introduced over the years, much of the facility has required ongoing upgrades and retrofitting.
According to Health and Safety Officer John Lumby, many older areas of the mill were originally designed at a time when machinery and processes operated with far fewer safety protections than would be expected today. As the business modernised its operations, improving health and safety became a key part of that journey.
Understanding the risk
Identifying the hazards that matter most
Since joining Northpine in 2018, Lumby has been responsible for driving risk management strategies and fostering a culture of safety across the organisation. His focus has centred on what he describes as the business’s most significant or life-changing risks.
- Fixed machinery – machine safety is a major priority within the mill. As older equipment and systems continue to be upgraded, guarding and engineering controls have been progressively improved to reduce worker exposure to hazards.
- Hazardous substances – Northpine treats timber using copper chrome arsenate (CCA), a chemical treatment that helps protect timber from pests and fungi. Managing the risks associated with hazardous substances requires specialised controls, training and compliance measures.
- Mobile plant – forklifts, trucks and loaders are used extensively across the site. Managing interactions between people, vehicles and equipment remains a critical area of focus.
Understanding these risks has allowed Northpine to prioritise improvements and develop targeted controls suited to its environment.
The response – building capability and strengthening systems
Northpine recognised that creating a safer workplace required both technical controls and capable people. The business invested heavily in training, development and structured risk management to strengthen safety capability across the organisation.
Developing specialist expertise
To support the organisation’s safety goals, Lumby undertook a range of health and safety training programmes, including qualifications covering workplace health and safety practice, contractor management, investigations, audits, safety culture and risk management. These programmes helped build the expertise needed to manage complex risks and contribute to organisational planning and decision-making.
Improving machine safety
The business has steadily retrofitted guarding and safety controls throughout the mill, modernising equipment and reducing exposure to physical hazards.
This work continues as part of Northpine’s ongoing commitment to improving safety performance.
Managing high-risk activities
Special attention has been given to hazardous substances, contractor management and other areas where multiple risks intersect.
Clear roles, responsibilities and planning processes help ensure that people understand the work being carried out and the controls required to perform it safely.
“Our first audit score was somewhere in the 30 percent range, so it was a real reality check. But step by step, we focused on getting better each year. It was fantastic to become the first company to receive a 100% audit score — and then achieve it back-to-back for three years in a row.”
– Nick Lubeck, Owner
Building safety from day one by creating a culture where learning comes first
Northpine places significant emphasis on training and development. As Waipu’s largest employer, the company regularly recruits school leavers and invests in developing long-term careers within the business.
Health and safety forms a key part of every employee’s introduction to the organisation. New starters begin with dedicated health and safety induction training, site orientation and job-specific instruction before commencing their role.
Training continues beyond onboarding. Employees can access both internal and external development opportunities, including specialist health and safety training and leadership programmes. By aligning training with the specific equipment, processes and risks found on site, Northpine ensures workers develop practical capability alongside theoretical knowledge.
This ongoing investment reinforces the organisation’s belief that safety is something to be learned, practised and continually improved.
The impact – embedding safety into the way work gets done
While Northpine’s health and safety journey is ongoing, significant progress has been made through continuous investment in systems, training and risk management.
The organisation has modernised safety controls throughout the mill, strengthened its approach to managing critical risks and built internal capability through formal training and professional development.
Health and safety now plays an important role in both operational activities and strategic planning.
Perhaps most importantly, the business has worked to create a culture where safety is viewed as an essential part of work rather than a compliance exercise.
For Lumby, the goal is clear: safety must be inherently embedded into everyday operations, not treated as a box to be ticked.
Key lessons – what you can learn from Northpine
Focus on your critical risks
Understanding the hazards that have the greatest potential to cause harm helps prioritise effort and resources where they matter most.
Build capability over time
Developing internal knowledge and expertise creates stronger, more sustainable safety outcomes.
Integrate safety into operational improvement
Health and safety should be part of business modernisation and continuous improvement, not a separate activity.
Invest in training from the start
Strong induction processes and ongoing development help build confidence, competence and safer work practices.
Make safety part of the culture
Lasting change occurs when safety becomes embedded in how people think, plan and work every day.
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