;

Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
26 July 2013
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$30,000

Safety lessons learned:
  1. Ensure that the scaffold is erected by a certified scaffolder;
  2. Ensure the safety of the scaffolding include all of its castor wheels locked off, using outrigger bracing, and being erected on a sound, clear and level surface.

 

Defendant name:
Roger Albert Collett (trading as Roger Collett Painters)
 
Industry:
Building and construction
 
Date of offence:
26 July 2013
 
Facts in brief:
On 26 July 2013, the Defendant was carrying out exterior repainting work on a residential property where two employees were working from the working platform of the mobile scaffold. The movement of the two employees at the top of the scaffold created a temporary high point loading at the top of the scaffold, causing the structure to tip and fall to the ground. One employee managed to hold on to the guttering of the house briefly before he fell approximately 5 metres onto a cross-member. He suffered fracture of right leg, three broken ribs and a punctured lung.
 
Offence section:
S6 Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
Blenheim - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$30,000
 
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
 
Reparation:
$6,000 (plus Court costs of $130)