Small businesses will have less health and safety obligations under new reforms. 

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden has revealed her first changes to the Health and Safety at Work Act. 

She says small businesses will only need to manage risks relating to death or serious injury to reduce compliance costs. 

BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich says it will bring a sigh of relief from small businesses - who are able to just focus on their success.

"Safety is still paramount, but what we're seeing here is a clarification of what the responsibilities are."

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