Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
6 April 2016
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$100,000

Safety lessons learned:
  1. Fit the Extrusion Machine with appropriate guarding/barriers;
  2. Install appropriately located emergency stops on the Extrusion Machine;
  3. Have adequate systems in place for identifying hazards in the workplace;
  4. Have an adequate safe operating procedure for using the Extrusion Machine; and
  5. Have adequate policies/processes in place for training workers in the safe use of the Extrusion Machine (ie in accordance with a settled standard operating procedure).

Defendant name:
Budget Plastics Limited
 
Industry:
Manufacturing
 
Date of offence:
6 April 2016
 
Facts in brief:
The victim was employed by the defendant company. On the day of the incident, he was feeding waste plastic into an extrusion machine. As he did so, some of the waste plastic became caught in the machine and began being dragged into it. The victim became entangled in the waste plastic, lost his balance, and his left hand was dragged into the machine together with the waste plastic.

Another worker saw what was happening and was able to turn the machine off and come to the victim’s aid. The victim was airlifted to hospital where he underwent surgery for the injuries to his hand. The only remaining digits were his thumb and half of his forefinger.
 
Offence section:
Sections 36(1)(a), 48(1) and (2)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
Palmerston North - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$100,000
 
Maximum fine available:
$1.5million
 
Reparation:
$37,500
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