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Court Summary - at a glance
Date of offence:
19 August 2014
Plea:
Not Guilty
Decision:
Convicted, appeal of sentence allowed
Final decision date:
Fine imposed:
$49,000
Safety lessons learned:
- The foreleg chain, and its associated machines, should have been appropriately locked-out, as Affco's then health and safety protocols dictated; and
- The company should have ensured, by on-going training and, most importantly, on-going monitoring, that its health and safety protocols were being adequately adhered to by its relevant staff.
Defendant name:
Affco New Zealand Limited
Industry:
Manufacturing
Date of offence:
19 August 2014
Facts in brief:
The Defendant company operates the Rangiuru meat processing plant.
The victim was employed by the Defendant as a night cleaner. While undertaking final cleaning inspection of plant, the left side of the victim’s head was penetrated by a suspended spreader hook used to hold sheep carcases and he was carried along the mutton chain.
The victim was employed by the Defendant as a night cleaner. While undertaking final cleaning inspection of plant, the left side of the victim’s head was penetrated by a suspended spreader hook used to hold sheep carcases and he was carried along the mutton chain.
Offence section:
Sections 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
Date(s) charged:
Court:
Rotorua - High Court
Plea:
Not Guilty
Final decision date:
Decision:
Convicted, appeal of sentence allowed
Fine imposed:
$49,000
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
Reparation:
$40,000
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