Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
24 September 2014
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$40,000

Safety lessons learned:
  1. To provide appropriate perimeter fall protection on the platforms and on the order pickers;
  2. To have an effective fall arrest system to prevent staff falling while working near the edge of the platforms and on order pickers;
  3. To ensure appropriate health and safety policies were in place;
  4. To adequately consult with Devon Staffing Solutions Ltd to:
    1. Identify risks, agree how to work at height safety and monitor this effectively; and
    2. Ensure Devon employed adequately qualified staff.

Defendant name:
Knight Group NZ Limited
 
Industry:
Postal, transport and warehousing
 
Date of offence:
24 September 2014
 
Facts in brief:
The Defendant company operates a furniture importing business. It owns a warehouse in New Plymouth where imported furniture is stored. The Defendant contracted Devon Staffing Solutions Ltd to supply staff to work in the warehouse.

On the day of the incident the victim, an employee of Devon Staffing Solutions Ltd, was manually loading stock onto elevated platforms in the warehouse. The victim used an order picker to raise a pallet, which was loaded with stock, to a platform four metres above ground. The victim was moving a box from the order picker to the platform when the platform broke and the victim fell to the concrete floor below.

The victim was knocked unconscious, suffered a laceration to his scalp, concussion and a fractured right pubic ramus.
 
Related prosecutions:
 
Offence section:
Section 18(1)(a) and section 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
New Plymouth - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$40,000
 
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
 
Reparation:
$10,000.00 (in conjunction with Devon Staffing Solutions Ltd - already paid to victim)
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