2015-F

Education and training

28 April 2014

The Defendant company operated as a shell company which used the services of another company that was an Accredited Training Establishment under the Australian Diver Accreditation System (ADAS) to provide occupational diver training courses.

The victim was taking part in a training course based at Lake Puketerini, Huntly. The victim did not meet the preliminary requirements for the course of having logged ten eligible dives and failed to complete a 200m swim test on the day of the incident, to the extent he had to be assisted ashore. He had not completed mandatory first aid assessment and certification prior to diving. He was also observed having difficulties dressing into his scuba equipment. On the day of the incident, the first day of week two of the course and the first day of diving, there were poor visibility conditions. The trainees lost sight of the supervisor in the Lake. After about six minutes in the water, the victim was observed at the surface without his dive mask or breathing regulator and appearing to be in distress. The required risk assessment that was completed prior to the dive was inadequate in a number of critical areas.

The victim was found at the bottom of the Lake by another trainee after a search lasting several minutes. Attempts on the shore to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. The cause of death was drowning.

2015-G
2015-H
New Zealand School of Outdoor Studies Limited
Tony Te Ripo

Sections 16(2)(b)(i) and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 x2

Huntly - District Court

Withdrawn

Withdrawn

Not applicable

$250,000

Not applicable