Makara Model School principal Gail Dewar, right, still allows students such as Alex Pattison, left, and May Grafton to climb trees, but that might change, she said.

Children at a Wairarapa primary school will no longer be able to climb trees on school property because of fears the school could be fined if there was an injury.

The new Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA), a response to the Pike River mine tragedy, comes into effect next week.

It will clarify the legal liability of schools and especially the principal – who could be fined up to $600,000 if someone is hurt. Schools need to identify the risks on their property and make sure they have practices in place to manage them.

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Greytown School teaches kids about climbing trees, including the size of branches they can stand on, what trees they can climb, and how high they should climb.

But on Wednesday, the board of trustees wrote to parents and said a lack of clarity about whether this was enough risk mitigation under the new act had resulted in them deciding to temporarily ban pupils from climbing trees.

FAIRFAX NZ Kids are to be kept out of trees at Greytown School in the Wairarapa because of fears over the impact of new health and safety laws.

Board chairman Alistair Plimmer said they didn't want to leave principal Kevin Mackay open to liability if a child fell out of a tree.

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"We don't want to do this. Greytown School is a country school and country kids want to climb trees. We believe in kids being kids and not wrapping them in bubble wrap," he said.

NANCY EL-GAMEL/ FAIRFAX NZ Principals are worried about the impact the new act could have on their personal liability, as well as their schools'.

Mackay said that, over several years, six children had fallen out of the trees and broken bones.

"I'm a bit old school in that I believe risk is part of learning ... the important distinction to make is that they haven't fallen out again," he said.

If the school got more clarity about the law, the ban would be lifted. It still allows bullrush and tackle rugby under the supervision of teachers.

Students at Makara Model School in Wellington were still able to climb trees for now, but the board and staff were nervous about the changes, principal Gail Dewar said.

"There's so much pressure on principals and it does make you very stressed and very worried that your whole life could be left in tatters," she said.

"We feel like we're being punished for something we didn't do."

But WorkSafe said banning children from climbing trees was unnecessary, and advice to the contrary was incorrect.

"The good news is kids can continue to climb trees, and experience the usual playground rough and tumble," communications general manager John Tulloch said.

"Talk of banning kids climbing trees, going on camps or making farm visits is a massive over-reaction. If a claim about the impact of the new law sounds far-fetched, then it almost certainly is."

WorkSafe had a question and answer section on its website to which schools could refer, giving more information on who was liable and for what.

"Making sure kids don't cop a paper cut or take a tumble playing lunchtime footy definitely aren't a focus [of the act]."

However, Greytown School's ban is likely to remain in place, at least for now. In reply to WorkSafe's advice, Plimmer replied: "If WorkSafe are so certain school principals will not be charged, then they should make schools exempt."

Ministry of Education head of sector enablement and support Katrina Casey said staff had been working with schools for 18 months on how the new act would affect them.

"Schools which take all reasonable steps and have clear health and safety policies and practices in place will be meeting their statutory ... obligations," she said.

"However, we know some other schools may need to do more work and require some additional support."

Principals, teachers and other school staff had been liable for prosecution under the current Health and Safety legislation since 1992, but none had been prosecuted, she said.

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