13 June 2025

At WorkSafe New Zealand, our inspectors manage a diverse range of tasks, ensuring that no two days are ever the same.

Their responsibilities include visiting businesses, helping both businesses and workers understand their obligations, writing notes and reports, conducting assessments, and investigating incidents.

We've been around the country to speak with our inspectors about their work, what a typical day looks like, and what they enjoy most about their roles. They all had one thing in common: they all appreciate the variety that comes with being an inspector.

When asked to describe a usual day, our inspectors talked about the dynamic nature of their work, ranging from office tasks to on-site visits, and from report writing to meetings with businesses and workers. This variety keeps their job interesting and engaging.

Our inspectors interact with a wide range of businesses across various industries, constantly expanding their knowledge and meeting new people. They are excellent communicators who enjoy finding innovative ways to connect with workers. They also excel in collaboration, often working together to consider different perspectives and develop unique solutions.

Here are some insights from our inspectors about their work:

What’s a typical day on the job like?

“Every day is different. Sometimes I’m in the office, working with the team and sometimes I’m at home focusing on my reports and notes. Sometimes I’ll be out and about visiting a variety of different businesses.” Kim, Wellington.

“You’re out and about doing proactive assessments, then you could be back in the office doing paperwork. It’s always different.” Pete, Auckland.

Is there anything you wish you knew before becoming an inspector?

“One thing I didn’t realise is how often I’d be communicating with non-English speakers. Learning to adapt and communicate with different people is definitely a challenge. It’s important to be empathetic and understanding, it’s our job to make it work and make sure our message is getting across.” Charlotte, Auckland.

“That anyone can be an inspector at any age. We work with an incredibly diverse range of people and every inspector has unique experience that makes them a good inspector.” Kim, Wellington.

“The amount of paperwork that’s involved. A huge part of the job is writing up notes, applying the correct regulations, and communicating outcomes. Our notes can sometimes be used in court, so it’s really important we take the time and get it right.” Kris, Auckland.

What’s the best thing about being an inspector?

“The opportunity to engage with the community and the opportunity to educate them on things they might not know.” Carl, Palmerston North.

“Being able to go outdoors and not being stuck at your desk all day. You could be climbing under tractors or up hills on forestry sites and farms. It can be physically challenging but it’s always good fun to get out and about” Pete, Auckland.

“Definitely the flexibility and job variety. Every day you get to learn new things.” Charlotte, Auckland.

What’s the best part of your day?

“Being able to close a file. It means you’ve been working with a business to improve their systems, and you’ve managed to reach a good result. It’s the most rewarding part.” Kris, Auckland.

“Catching up with the rest of the team to hear the anecdotes from the day. As an inspector you may be exposed to traumatic events, files, photos and statements, or may engage with people who are impacted by having a worker, colleague or family member injured, or even killed. It’s really important you can rely on your team when the job gets challenging. Being able to chat and blow off steam with other people in my team who understand is a key part of my day.” Kim, Wellington.

“After a challenging assessment, getting together with your colleagues and collating your ideas. I love having those discussions and debating what you could’ve done differently or better for next time. We’re always improving. The coffees, chit chats, and learnings with your colleagues are invaluable.” Charlotte, Auckland.

Want to become a WorkSafe inspector?

Our inspectors enjoy a varied, flexible, challenging, and rewarding job where they form relationships, engage with new people, and work together to make work safer in Aotearoa New Zealand.

If this sounds like something you’d also enjoy, apply to be an inspector. Applications close at midnight on 22 June 2025. If you can’t make this cohort, we’ll also be hiring in October 2025. Sign-up for alerts on our Careers page(external link) if you’re interested.