Safety Contractor penalised $143,000 for improper installation…

The District Court has convicted and fined the installer of a safety guardrail after a worker fell from a roof and was seriously injured.  The guardrail was not installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines and industry standards and was not safe for use.  The employee fell off the roof when he attempted to use the guardrail to steady himself.  He suffered significant injuries and did not fully recover for more than a year.

The installer was fined $100,000 and ordered to pay reparation of $43,000 to the victim.

All parties involved in a workplace need to ensure that they act in accordance with appropriate standards when dealing with H&S issues. Here the employer got in a specialised safety equipment installer to do the work but even that did not stop an employee being seriously injured. The employer had taken all reasonable steps to have a safe workplace but was let down by sloppy practices by the “experts” it had engaged.

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Alan Knowsley

Health & Safety Lawyer
Wellington