Mike Cosman – Partner
A strategic perspective
Mike is one of New Zealand’s most highly regarded health and safety practitioners with over 45 years experience in operational, management, policy and strategic roles. With an extensive regulatory background in the UK and New Zealand and having worked as a consultant to many of the leading public and private sector organisations over the last 16 years, Mike is exceptionally placed to guide senior business leaders through the complex health and safety landscape.
He was the only health and safety professional member of the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety and the Independent Forestry Safety Review providing a very broad perspective on system wide issues. In October 2020 he was recognised with the Safeguard Lifetime Achievement Award at a gala dinner in Auckland
Mike is able to get down into the detail, for example as an experienced investigator or when undertaking audits and other assurance activities. He provides legal in confidence advice on complex and sensitive issues and is recognised as an expert witness, whether for prosecution or defence. Mike has a particular interest in the management of asbestos in the workplace.
Mike is an independent member of a number of public and private sector health and safety governance groups and Chair of the Board of the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management.
He has an honours degree in management, postgraduate qualification in OHS, a Certificate in Company Direction from the IoD, is a Certified Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management and a Member of the NZ Institute of Directors.
Mike was one of the first health and safety professionals to be accredited to the joint MBIE/ACC/WorkSafe NZ health and safety performance improvement tool known as SafePlus. He is a HASANZ Registered Health and Safety Professional.
Mike is now based on Auckland’s North Shore but continues to support clients across New Zealand