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Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
19 February 2013
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$36,000

Safety lessons learned:

Ensure the Metalclad Saw is properly maintained by;

  1. ensuring that the Hood Guard and Course Adjustment could be easily adjusted
  2. ensuring that a riving knife was fitted
  3. ensuring that a push stick was available.

Ensure that the employee is adequately trained and supervised and have the knowledge and understanding to be able to adjust, correctly set up, and operate the saw safely.

Provide employees with an alternative saw, that may be better suited to the task of cross-cutting lengths of timber into firewood, examples include:

  1. a Radial Arm Circular Saw and Bench
  2. a Mitre/Drop Saw and Bench or
  3. a purpose made Firewood Saw.

The defendant should have ensured the victim was adequately trained or supervised to operate the alternative saw(s).

Defendant name:
Neil Rich Builders Limited
 
Industry:
Building and construction
 
Date of offence:
19 February 2013
 
Facts in brief:
Victim was cutting up wood on a bench saw. Cut thumb and part of second finger on the saw blade as the hood guard was set too high. The victim suffered partial amputation of his thumb under the first joint and amputation of the top of his second finger.
 
Offence section:
S6 Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
Christchurch - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$36,000
 
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
 
Reparation:
$25,000