A major independent report has found New Zealand's current workplace health and safety system "is not fit for purpose".

After 10 months of consultation and research, the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety delivered its report to Labour Minister Simon Bridges today.

The taskforce, chaired by long time Shell New Zealand boss Rob Jager, said there was "no single critical factor behind New Zealand's poor health and safety record".

However, the current system had "a number of significant weaknesses" that needed to be addressed if there was to be a "step-change" in workplace health and safety performance.

Established in June last year, the taskforce was charged with evaluating whether the system was fit for purpose, and make recommendations to reducing the number of workplace fatalities and serious injuries by at least 25 per cent by 2020.

The report said the taskforce was "deeply concerned" about New Zealand's workplace health and safety, with around one in 10 workers harmed annually.

"While we acknowledge that there are problems with the data, the fact is that a lot of bad things happen to people at work in this country."

The report makes a number of recommendations, including an earlier call for a standalone work and safety agency, which the Government has already accepted.

Today it recommended giving the agency significant powers, including the ability to approve safety codes.

The taskforce also recommended a new health and safety law based on that of Australia, and strengthened worker participation including greater protection for those who raise concerns.

Around 26,000 workplace related entitlement claims were approved by ACC for people being harmed at work in 2010, with costs estimated at $3.5 billion or 2 per cent of gross domestic product.

The taskforce said five industries - manufacturing, construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing - accounted for more than half of all of the serious incidents, while Maori, Pacific Island and some other ethnicities were more likely than others to be seriously injured at work.

Men were more likely than women to be seriously injured, along with youths and older workers, the self-employed and workers with low literacy and numeracy skills.

"There is a lethal nexus between high-risk population groups and high risk industries," the report said.

New Zealand has a "particular issue in the potential for catastrophic harm as a result of ineffective oversight of major hazard facilities ... The catastrophic consequences of inadequate management of such facilities were brought into stark relief by the 2010 Pike river mine tragedy."

There was not a single weakness, but systemic problems.

Regulation was described as "confusing", failing to make clear the responsibilities of health and safety duty holders, while the punishment for those who breached the rules intentionally or through neglect was "not adequate".

Regulators were described as "weak", with a shortage of capacity and capability.

It also described New Zealand's culture as "risk tolerant" when it came to safety.

"Our national culture includes a high level of tolerance for risk, and negative perceptions of health and safety. Kiwi stoicism, deference to authority, laid-back complacency and suspicion of red tape all affect behaviour from the boardroom to the shop floor."

Bridges welcomed the report.

"We all need to do more, and do it better, to make sure New Zealanders are protected from injury and death when they go to work each day," he said.

"The Taskforce's report provides us with a solid foundation and constructive recommendations for system-wide changes which the Government will now consider."

The Government said it would respond to the recommendations included in the report by July.