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Employer penalised over $67,000 for health and safety breach…
An employee has been crushed in the workplace by a piece of machinery. The employee was freed by other staff and taken to hospital by ambulance.
The employee sustained severe injuries to his back and eyes and was unable to work for nearly three months.
The District Court convicted the employer under Health and Safety legislation for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of the employee while at work.
The Court found that the employer had failed to ensure the employee was not exposed to hazards arising out of the use of the machine, and had failed to recognise that the machine lacked guards to prevent employees from getting too close.
The Court also noted that the training and assessment procedures for the machine were inadequate and that there were no lockout systems.
The employer was fined over $39,000 and was ordered to pay over $28,000 in reparation to the employee.
The employer has since updated the training and assessment procedures for the machine, apologised to the employee, taken part in restorative justice, paid the reparation, and has assisted the employee in getting back to work.
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