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Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
1 November 2013
 
Plea:
Not Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted / Appeal of Sentence Dismissed
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$40,000

Safety lessons learned:

Ensure a chain and sprocket is either guarded locally or has a perimeter fence around the machine with some form of interlocked guard.

Defendant name:
Waimea Sawmillers Limited
 
Industry:
Forestry
 
Date of offence:
1 November 2013
 
Facts in brief:
The Defendant company operates a large sawmill.

The Defendant owns an Opticut 350 machine which is designed to detect and cut out defects in low grade timber.

The victim was employed as a machine maintenance person. On the day of the incident, the he was carrying out maintenance on the Opticut 350 machine. He turned on the machine to grease some horizontal chains as well as a vertical chain and sprocket. When a rag he was holding was grabbed by the machine, his left hand was dragged into the unguarded nip point where the chain and sprocket meet.

The victim suffered extensive crush injuries to all of the fingers of his left hand. His middle finger and the tip of his index finger were amputated.
 
Offence section:
Sections 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
Nelson - High Court
 
Plea:
Not Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted / Appeal of Sentence Dismissed
 
Fine imposed:
$40,000
 
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
 
Reparation:
$12,000