Health & Safety Policy
Maxwell Productions
Policy owner: Max Tiweka, Owner/Operator
Business: Maxwell Productions
Review frequency: Annually, or following a significant incident or change in operations
Last reviewed: 19/10/2026
1. Our Commitment
Maxwell Productions is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for everyone involved in our productions.
As a Māori-owned creative production business specialising in video production, photography, events and visual storytelling, we recognise our responsibility to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of our team, contractors, clients, participants and members of the public.
We aim to identify and manage risks before work begins, maintain safe working practices, and ensure that our activities are carried out responsibly and in accordance with applicable New Zealand health and safety legislation.
Health and safety is a shared responsibility, and we encourage open communication, active participation and continuous improvement across all projects.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all work undertaken by Maxwell Productions, including:
Video production and photography.
Commercial, corporate and event filming.
Weddings and other private events.
Documentary and kaupapa Māori storytelling projects.
Location scouting, site visits and location-based production.
Post-production activities where relevant to workplace health and safety.
Work involving clients, subcontractors, specialist operators and other third parties.
Project-specific requirements may apply depending on the location, activities being undertaken and organisations involved.
3. Risk Management
Maxwell Productions takes a proactive approach to identifying, assessing and managing workplace risks.
Before commencing work, we consider the nature of the activity, the working environment, equipment being used, people who may be affected and any specific site requirements.
Risk management measures may include:
Completing site visits and risk assessments where appropriate.
Identifying hazards and assessing their potential consequences.
Implementing controls to eliminate risks where reasonably practicable, or otherwise minimise them.
Following relevant site rules, inductions and safe work procedures.
Confirming access arrangements and permissions before entering work sites.
Reviewing risks when conditions, locations or activities change.
Communicating identified hazards and control measures to relevant people.
A project-specific risk assessment may be completed where the nature or level of risk requires it.
4. Safe Work Practices
All work must be planned and undertaken in a manner that protects the health and safety of workers and others who may be affected.
Maxwell Productions will take reasonable steps to ensure that:
Equipment is suitable for the intended activity and maintained in a safe condition.
Cables, tripods, lighting stands and other production equipment are positioned to minimise hazards.
Work areas are kept as safe and orderly as reasonably practicable.
Weather, terrain, lighting and environmental conditions are considered before and during filming.
Appropriate personal protective equipment is used when required.
Workers follow applicable site procedures and reasonable safety instructions.
Work is not undertaken where risks cannot be adequately managed.
Additional controls will be implemented when working in unfamiliar, remote, restricted or otherwise higher-risk environments.
5. Specialist Activities and Site Access
Some productions may require access to environments with additional safety considerations, including remote locations, off-road terrain or specialist transport arrangements.
Where these activities are required, Maxwell Productions will assess the relevant risks and confirm appropriate arrangements before work begins.
This may include:
Obtaining the required permissions and site approvals.
Completing relevant inductions and safety briefings.
Following the procedures of the site owner, client or specialist operator.
Confirming that personnel have the appropriate training and competency for their assigned tasks.
Using suitable equipment and protective measures.
Ensuring responsibilities and communication arrangements are understood.
Where specialist transport or services are used, the relevant operator's safety procedures and instructions must be followed.
Maxwell Productions will not undertake activities outside its competency or proceed where appropriate safety arrangements have not been established.
6. Roles and Responsibilities
6.1 Maxwell Productions
Maxwell Productions is responsible for taking reasonable steps to plan work safely and manage risks associated with its activities.
This includes identifying hazards, implementing appropriate controls, communicating relevant safety information, maintaining suitable equipment and ensuring that work is undertaken within the business's capabilities.
6.2 Personnel and Subcontractors
All personnel engaged by Maxwell Productions are expected to:
Take reasonable care of their own health and safety.
Ensure their actions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others.
Follow agreed safety procedures and site requirements.
Use equipment and protective equipment appropriately.
Report hazards, incidents, injuries and near misses promptly.
Participate in relevant briefings and inductions.
Stop work and raise concerns if they believe an activity presents an unmanaged risk.
6.3 Clients, Site Managers and Other Organisations
Maxwell Productions will cooperate and coordinate with clients, site managers and other organisations where work involves shared environments or overlapping responsibilities.
Relevant site requirements, access restrictions, emergency procedures and identified hazards will be discussed as appropriate before work begins.
Where multiple organisations have health and safety duties, Maxwell Productions will work with the relevant parties to support effective coordination and communication.
6.4 Specialist Operators and Service Providers
Where specialist operators or service providers are engaged, Maxwell Productions will confirm relevant arrangements and follow applicable instructions, procedures and access requirements.
Each party remains responsible for fulfilling its own applicable health and safety duties.
6.5 Communication
Health and safety information will be communicated through appropriate methods, including pre-production discussions, site inductions, safety briefings, direct communication and written risk assessments where required.
7. Stop-Work Procedures
Any person involved in a Maxwell Productions project may raise a health and safety concern.
Work must be stopped or suspended where there is a reasonable concern that an activity presents a serious or uncontrolled risk.
Work will only resume once the concern has been assessed, appropriate control measures have been implemented and it is safe to proceed.
No person should be pressured to continue an activity they reasonably believe is unsafe.
8. Incident Reporting and Emergency Response
All incidents, injuries, near misses and identified hazards must be reported to the person responsible for managing the activity as soon as practicable.
Where an incident occurs, Maxwell Productions will take reasonable steps to:
Protect people from further harm.
Contact emergency services when required.
Notify the relevant client, site manager or other responsible party.
Record the incident and relevant details.
Review the circumstances and identify appropriate corrective actions.
Meet applicable notification and reporting obligations.
Emergency procedures will be confirmed for the working environment where necessary, including access to first aid, emergency contacts, evacuation arrangements and site-specific response procedures.
9. Training and Competency
Maxwell Productions recognises the importance of appropriate training, experience and competency.
Personnel will only undertake tasks they are suitably competent to perform or for which appropriate supervision and support have been arranged.
Where projects require specialist training, licences, certifications or site-specific inductions, these requirements must be confirmed before the relevant work begins.
Training and competency requirements will be reviewed when new equipment, activities or working environments introduce additional risks.
10. Consultation and Continuous Improvement
Maxwell Productions encourages workers, subcontractors, clients and other relevant parties to raise concerns and contribute to improving health and safety practices.
Risk assessments, incident reports, feedback and changes to working conditions will be considered when reviewing existing procedures.
Where appropriate, control measures will be updated to reflect lessons learned and changes in industry practice or applicable requirements.
11. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed at least annually and when significant changes to business operations, working practices or applicable requirements make a review necessary.
The policy will be communicated to relevant personnel and made available to clients and other parties who require access to it.
This policy establishes the general health and safety approach of Maxwell Productions. It does not replace project-specific risk assessments, site safety plans, specialist operating procedures or other documentation required for particular activities.