Court Summary - at a glance
Date of offence:
13 April 2013
Plea:
Guilty
Decision:
Convicted
Final decision date:
Fine imposed:
$40,000
Safety lessons learned:
Ensure the SOPs in place are implemented and correctly used at all times to prevent dangerous practices such as requiring three men working below a suspended pipe.
Defendant name:
Oceanea Gold (New Zealand) Limited
Industry:
Mining
Date of offence:
13 April 2013
Facts in brief:
The victim was engaged by the Defendant through his Australian employer to carry out general mining duties. On 13 April 2013, the victim was injured when he and two employees for the Defendant were working to lower pipes for replacement at the Frasers Underground hard rock gold mine.
The process of lowering the pipes required the use of a ladder which is placed against the wall of the mine/tunnel under the damaged pipe (suspended above). At the time of the accident, once the chain was cut the impact of the falling pipe broke and the pipe fell and glanced off the victim’s helmet, into the ladder and then into the victim’s left leg. As a result the victim suffered a tibial plateau fracture just below his left knee.
The process of lowering the pipes required the use of a ladder which is placed against the wall of the mine/tunnel under the damaged pipe (suspended above). At the time of the accident, once the chain was cut the impact of the falling pipe broke and the pipe fell and glanced off the victim’s helmet, into the ladder and then into the victim’s left leg. As a result the victim suffered a tibial plateau fracture just below his left knee.
Offence section:
S6 Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
Date(s) charged:
Court:
Dunedin - District Court
Plea:
Guilty
Final decision date:
Decision:
Convicted
Fine imposed:
$40,000
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
Reparation:
$20,000 (plus Court costs of $130)
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