Giltrap Group’s culture of health and safety excellence
“One of the major risks we’ve had to address is the unique safety concerns surrounding EV batteries.” – Paul Gallagher
“When you’re dealing with high-performance vehicles, risk management becomes even more critical.” – Paul Gallagher
From developing a robust risk management framework to addressing the emerging challenges of EVs and motorsports, Paul Gallagher explains how he leads a culture of health and safety excellence at Giltrap Group.
Paul Gallagher, Group Health and Safety Manager at Giltrap Group, has been at the forefront of implementing robust safety measures across the company’s diverse operations.
With a background as a commercial chartered accountant and extensive experience in risk management, Gallagher has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s approach to health and safety.
His workplace health and safety journey began while working in the roading industry, where he identified key risks that required immediate attention.
This perspective led him to work on developing operational frameworks, following the implementation of the Health and Safety at Work Act in 2015.
In 2016, while applying for a commercial accounting role with Giltrap Group, the company recognised his skillset in health and safety.
“The retail group saw a need for a more structured approach to compliance and created a new compliance manager role for me,” says Gallagher.
In 2018, Giltrap sponsored him to undertake the Employers and Manufacturers Association’s NZ Diploma in Workplace Health & Safety Management (Level 6) where his work was submitted to NZQA as a ‘quality of education’ benchmark performed by a student under EMA training.
Over the past eight years, he has expanded health and safety initiatives across the Giltrap Group, which includes retail, rental car, and wholesale operations, as well as the company’s highly successful motorsport team.
To build a strong safety culture, Gallagher focused on education and certification. Collaboration with the EMA has been a key element in providing staff with training and professional development.
“We have up to a dozen health and safety representatives now, with several having completed Level 3 and 4 health and safety certifications with the EMA,” he says.
Continuing professional development is crucial in health and safety, and Gallagher aims to complete 50 hours of training annually through a combination of targeted health and safety offerings from the EMA, with topical issues such as psychosocial safety being the latest workplace challenge.
He is also following the new WorkSafe-sponsored pathway to become a compliance certifier in chemical management matters.
An evolving industry
The automotive industry is evolving rapidly, particularly with the rise of electric vehicles (EVs).
“One of the major risks we’ve had to address is the unique safety concerns surrounding EV batteries,” Gallagher says.
He has worked closely with industry experts, including emergency response specialists, to ensure Giltrap Group is prepared for potential EV-related incidents.
“We invited an electric vehicle safety expert from Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) to present to our service managers, helping them understand best practice for handling EV fires and accidents.”
As part of Giltrap’s proactive approach, the company invested in specialised infrastructure, including a high-tech containment unit designed to test, manage and mitigate thermal runaway events. It may resemble a shipping container from the outside, but it’s a fully equipped safety bunker capable of flooding a vehicle to mitigate a fire risk (see the photo, above left).
With flammable chemicals, petrol-powered vehicles, and potential ignition sources present in Giltrap workshops, fire-prevention strategies have been a major focus.
“One of our main concerns is an event occurring in a workshop that could set the whole building on fire,” Gallagher says.
“Preventative measures include strict guidelines on vehicle storage. If we’re in doubt, we don’t put the vehicle underground or in a workshop.
“We use thermal cameras and diagnostics, and if necessary, the standard practice is to place the vehicle in a dedicated isolation area outside, with a safety perimeter around it.”
Mitigating risks
Beyond fire risks, Gallagher highlights the everyday safety concerns of vehicle movement within showrooms and workshops.
“The primary concern in showrooms is ensuring that people aren’t walking in front of moving vehicles,” he says.
To mitigate risks, Giltrap Group enforces strict protocols for vehicle movement.
“All staff must use hazard lights when driving on our sites. The key here is not just visibility but the mindset of the driver – they are effectively lit up like a Christmas tree,” Gallagher says.
“Additionally, vehicles must move at walking speed (5 km/h), and spotters are required when reversing into tight spaces, always positioned where they are visible in the vehicle’s mirrors.
“Given the scale of our operations, we’ve successfully avoided serious vehicle-on-person incidents.”
In Giltrap Group’s workshops, hoist safety is paramount, and they have a variety of configurations for lifting vehicles.
“It’s crucial to prevent any scenario where a vehicle might fall off,” says Gallagher.
“Proper parking procedures, regular safety checks, and external certifications help mitigate risks.
“We follow the manufacturers’ recommendations, but we also go beyond that by having our hoists certified every six months instead of the standard annual inspection. This ensures that our critical infrastructure is always in top condition.”
Racing safety
One of the more unique challenges Gallagher has tackled is implementing safety measures within the workshop and garage operations at Giltrap Group Motorsport.
“I’ve made it clear that I’m not a racing expert – I focus on ensuring that all components and equipment are handled safely,” he says.
“But when you’re dealing with high-performance vehicles, risk management becomes even more critical.”
With a long history of supporting Kiwi motorsport and drivers, Giltrap Group Motorsport currently features talents such as current Racing Bulls F1 driver Liam Lawson, NASCAR star Shane van Gisbergen, World Endurance Championship driver Brendon Hartley as well as a host of V8 Supercars and Porsche Carrera Cup Australia drivers.
The focus is on discovering, developing and supporting talented Kiwi racers; Gallagher says Lawson recently popped into Giltrap’s Great North Road headquarters for a visit, which is a testament to the close links the company maintains with its racing alumni.
Family values
Giltrap Group is considered a benchmark for health and safety in the automotive industry.
“We likely dedicate more resources to health and safety than many of our competitors,” Gallagher says.
As a large and high-profile organisation, Giltrap Group places significant emphasis on safety not just to meet regulatory requirements but to protect its reputation in the industry and uphold family-driven values.
The company also participates in ACC’s Accredited Employer Programme at the highest accreditation level, which allows large organisations to self-manage workplace injury claims.
“We operate under a dedicated ACC programme with more than 200 line items of compliance activities,” Gallagher says.
“We are audited annually to ensure we meet these standards, which reinforces Giltrap Group’s commitment to workplace safety.”
Culture of continuous improvement
One of the ongoing health and safety challenges is integrating newly acquired businesses into Giltrap’s existing health and safety framework.
“If you don’t exercise leadership in this space, a new subsidiary could end up operating independently of the group’s safety standards,” Gallagher says.
By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration with industry experts, Gallagher ensures that Giltrap Group remains at the forefront of health and safety in the automotive sector.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and the landscape is always changing,” he says.
“At the end of the day, it’s about making sure everyone goes home safely. That’s our ultimate goal.”
