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Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
12 December 2017
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$60,000

Safety lessons learned:
  • Develop and maintain a safe system of work that ensured the ongoing management of risks posed by using mobile plant on steep slopes, including developing, implementing and monitoring a site specific hazard plan appropriate to the gradient and terrain, and providing effective instruction to staff regarding safe working on slopes.
  • Develop and maintain a safe system of work that ensured the development, implementation, and supervision of extraction tracks that were fit for purpose.

Defendant name:
Sabre Logging Co Limited
 
Industry:
Forestry
 
Date of offence:
12 December 2017
 
Facts in brief:
The Defendant was undertaking forestry work, including log recovery, in Makara. The site was rolling, steep and challenging. The deceased was operating a skidder device to extract logs from the slope. The deceased was attempting to haul a log, when it snagged. He attempted to unsnag the log by releasing the winch brake, and repositioning the skidder sideways off the extraction track. As the deceased began to winch the log again, the skidder lost balance and rolled downhill and fatal injuries followed.
 
Offence section:
Sections 48(1) and 2(c), and 36(2) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
 
Date(s) charged:
7 December 2018

Court:
Wellington - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$60,000
 
Maximum fine available:
$1.5 million
 
Reparation:
N/A