Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
13 May 2016
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$306,000

Safety lessons learned:

The defendant company failed to establish a safe work system which identified potential hazards to its workers whilst they worked on orchards, including that proper maps showing marked hazards were received, and that the workers received an induction as to potential site hazards at each orchard where they worked. A further particular alleged failure to design and implement a system for control and management of hazards and risks associated with workers who worked alone. 

Defendant name:
Stevens and Stevens Limited
 
Industry:
Agriculture
 
Date of offence:
13 May 2016
 
Facts in brief:
The Defendant is in the business of providing kiwifruit collection and maturity testing services to the Kiwifruit Industry. The victim was collecting kiwifruit samples at an orchard. She drove a quad bike up a hill into an area of hazardous terrain where the quad bike rolled on top of her, causing fatal injuries.
 
Related prosecutions:
 
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:
Tauranga - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$306,000
 
Maximum fine available:
$1,500,000
 
Reparation:
$75,000 for emotional harm
 
Related Documents:

Sentencing notes are avaliable on the District Courts website. 

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