Two of three improvement notices issued by WorkSafe to the Southern DHB in relation to Lakes District Hospital were lifted on Friday.
In January, during the hottest summer on record, the Otago Daily Times reported staff at the hospital were working in "untenable" conditions in the ageing hospital and feared someone would die if the DHB did not address their concerns quickly.
WorkSafe southern assessments chief inspector Darren Handforth evaluated the hospital on February 8 and found heat stress from working in the building, which had no air conditioning, was likely to be a risk to workers.
Subsequently, the DHB was issued with the three improvement notices.
They required the DHB to assess if heat stress was a significant risk to its workers and others; review its processes for mitigation; and review the ratio of Health and Safety representatives to working groups at the hospital.
The inital deadline for compliance was extended. The deadline for the first two notices expired on Friday.
Mr Handforth told the ODT he was "happy to report" WorkSafe had received comprehensive information from the DHB in relation to the heat stress assessment and mitigation.
"We have indicated to the Southern District Health Board that they [have] satisfied compliance with those notices and we are very impressed with the work that has been undertaken.
"We have looked at all aspects of compliance and we are very satisfied.
"It's a really good outcome and it shows the value of [the regulator and WorkSafe] working together and us being made aware of these things."
The DHB was unable to provide details of the mitigation in place and proposed to the ODT by deadline on Friday.
Its deadline for the final improvement notice, relating to the health and safety representatives, is at the end of next month.
