Health and safety | Good Finds

Your responsibility as a host

When guests book an experience with you, they're trusting you to keep them safe. That responsibility is real, and it's yours.

New Zealand's Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 applies to anyone running a business or undertaking. As a host, you're a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU), which means you have a legal duty to manage risks to the health and safety of the people involved in your experience - guests, assistants, and anyone else present.

This guide doesn't cover every situation. For anything specific to your experience type, talk to WorkSafe New Zealand or a health and safety adviser.

Important

Good Finds requires every host to complete a Health and Safety checklist before their first listing is approved. This is not a formality - it's a genuine record of the safety thinking you've done for your specific experience.

Public liability insurance

Before your listing can go live, you need public liability insurance. This covers you if a guest is injured or their property is damaged as a result of your experience.

What level of cover do you need? Most hosts carry $1 million to $2 million in public liability cover. Some experience types (particularly those involving physical activity, water, or vehicles) may warrant more. Your insurer can advise on the right level for your situation.

Where can you get it? Several New Zealand insurers offer public liability cover for small operators - IAG, Vero, and specialist providers like NZI and Ando are common choices. If you already have business insurance, check whether public liability is included.

Tip

If you're a member of a relevant industry body (Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Federated Farmers, Hospitality NZ), check whether your membership includes access to group insurance at better rates.

Thinking about risk

Risk assessment sounds formal, but at its core it's a simple process:

1Identify - What could go wrong during this experience?
2Assess - How likely is it, and how serious would it be?
3Control - What can you do to reduce the likelihood or severity?

You don't need to write a 20-page document. A one-page note that walks through your experience step by step, identifying the main hazards and what you do to manage them, is enough for most experiences.

Common hazards to consider

Terrain and weather - slippery surfaces, steep ground, unexpected weather changes
Equipment - tools, vehicles, cooking equipment; condition, suitability, safe use
Physical exertion - are guests warned about fitness requirements? What happens if someone struggles?
Food and drink - allergens, food handling, preparation hygiene
Water - any experience near water (rivers, sea, pools) requires specific risk thinking
Transport - if guests travel with you, your vehicle, licence, and insurance must be appropriate

The Good Finds health and safety checklist

The checklist in your host dashboard covers the following areas. You'll need to complete this for each listing.

I have read and understood my duties as a PCBU under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015

I have identified the main hazards in my experience and have controls in place for each

I hold current public liability insurance with at least $1 million in cover

I have a plan for what to do if a guest is injured

Emergency services can reach my experience location (or I have a plan if they can't)

Guests are given clear information about any fitness, health, or mobility requirements before booking

Any equipment used is in good condition and appropriate for the purpose

I have a process for checking in on guest wellbeing during the experience

Additional requirements by experience type

Food and drink experiences

If your experience involves preparing or serving food, the Food Act 2014 applies. You may need to operate under a Food Control Plan. Contact your local council or the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) for guidance specific to your situation.

Experiences near or on water

Any experience that takes place in, on, or near water requires specific risk assessment. Consider: life jacket availability, guest swimming ability, tidal or current conditions, weather, emergency procedures.

Experiences involving transport

If you're driving guests, your licence must be appropriate for the vehicle and number of passengers. Your vehicle insurance must cover commercial passenger use - standard private vehicle insurance typically does not.

Experiences involving children

If guests may bring children, or your experience is designed for families, think carefully about age-appropriate safety: supervision ratios, equipment suitability, and whether any activities are appropriate for minors.

When something goes wrong

Even well-prepared experiences can have incidents. Know what you'll do before it happens.

Keep a basic first aid kit at your experience location
Know the emergency services number (111) and your exact location (what3words is useful in rural areas)
Have a plan for how to contact guests' emergency contacts if needed
Report any serious incidents to WorkSafe New Zealand

Important

If a guest is seriously injured during your experience, you must notify WorkSafe New Zealand. Failure to notify is an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Disclaimer

This guide is intended as a practical starting point, not as legal or health and safety advice. Requirements vary by experience type and location. For specific guidance, contact WorkSafe New Zealand (worksafe.govt.nz) or a qualified health and safety adviser.