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Court Summary - at a glance
Date of offence:
22/05/2015
Plea:
Guilty
Decision:
Convicted
Final decision date:
Fine imposed:
$36,000
Safety lessons learned:
- Carry out a detailed and effective risk management process in respect of “paddle track” area of coolstore;
- Implement detailed and effective procedures to separate forklifts and pedestrians/other workers;
- Implement a larger pedestrian exclusion zone where 2 bins are carried at a time;
- Implement a physical barrier to prevent bins from falling from stockpiles;
- Delineate a zone on the ground in the paddle track area to limit operation of only one forklift at its driver at a time;
- Ensure that forklifts can safely stack bulk bins five bins high; to ensure bulk bins lifted by forklifts are supported by the backrest or the forklift mast
Defendant name:
Talley’s Group Limited
Industry:
Manufacturing
Date of offence:
22/05/2015
Facts in brief:
While at work for Talley’s at the vegetable processing plant in Ashburton, the victim was working as pack-out support, removing and replacing bulk bins filled with product, when a stack of unsupported bins toppled backwards over the forklift being used to lift them. One of these bins struck the victim, knocking her to the ground. The victim suffered a complete spinal cord injury at T6-T7 resulting in paraplegia.
Offence section:
Sections 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
Date(s) charged:
22/11/2015
Court:
Ashburton - District Court
Plea:
Guilty
Final decision date:
Decision:
Convicted
Fine imposed:
$36,000
Maximum fine available:
$1.5 million
Reparation:
$50,000 in emotional harm
$131,204.58 in consequential loss
$56 for prosecutor, $130 for court costs
$131,204.58 in consequential loss
$56 for prosecutor, $130 for court costs
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