Court Summary - at a glance
Date of offence:
22 April 2013
Plea:
Guilty
Decision:
Convicted
Final decision date:
Fine imposed:
$25,000
Safety lessons learned:
- Ensure the tree felling work is carried out by a suitably trained person.
- Ensure the employees have an appropriate level of supervision while working in a hazardous environment.
- Ensure that adequate hazard identification is carried out.
- Ensure employees are in the safety zone after making the ‘scarf’ cuts to the tree and not step out of the safe zone until the grapple had been administered to the trunk and it is safe to return.
Defendant name:
R & S Dreaver Shelter Trimmers Limited
Industry:
Forestry
Date of offence:
22 April 2013
Facts in brief:
Employee was doing chain saw cuts with the assistance of another employee to help the trees to fall correctly. Employee went into the safety zone after placing scarf cuts on the tree trunk. However, he returned from the safe zone too early and was struck by falling branches resulting in fatality.
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:
$25,000
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
Reparation:
$55,000
Last updated