Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
Between 4 April 2016 and 31 March 2017
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$70,000

Safety lessons learned:
  1. Develop and implement a safe system of work for worker exposure;
  2. Provide and maintain a safe work environment that minimised exposure of workers to substances hazardous to health (e.g. by installing an adequate ventilation system);
  3. Monitor the ongoing health of workers to identify any changes in their health status due to exposure to substances hazardous to health.

Defendant name:
Precision Animal Supplements Limited
 
Industry:
Manufacturing
 
Date of offence:
Between 4 April 2016 and 31 March 2017
 
Facts in brief:
The Defendant failed to manage the exposure of its factory workers to substances hazardous to their health between the period 4 April 2016 and 31 March 2017. The Defendant produces a range of specialist mineral pellets for bovines at its factory. The manufacturing process, involving a hammer mill, batching and pelletising processes, creates large amounts of visible dust. The dust covers the surfaces in the factory and the workers in the factory have significant quantities of dust on their clothing, faces and hair. The Defendant was on notice of some of the potential effects of the dust as a result of lung function monitoring undertaken in 2014 and repeated concerns raised by workers.
 
Offence section:
Sections 48(1) and (2)(c) and 36(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
Ashburton - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$70,000
 
Maximum fine available:
$1.5 million
 
Reparation:
$5,000 for emotional harm split between three victims
 
Related Documents:
PDF
Sentencing notes - WorkSafe New Zealand v Precision Animal Supplements Limited (PDF 2.9 MB)
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