Court Summary - at a glance
Date of offence:
17 September 2013
Plea:
Guilty
Decision:
Convicted
Final decision date:
Fine imposed:
$42,000
Safety lessons learned:
Ensure the hazards of lifting the machine are being properly identified;
Develop an adequate lift plan, which would include;
- Identifying which suspension or lifting method would be used;
- Identifying the equipment required for that particular process, for example, a forklift, crane, or hydraulic jack and rollers or packing;
- Identifying that only Mr Allen was required to undertake the task; and
- Ensuring that anybody not involved in this lifting operation were given specific direction to remain outside any identified hazardous area until the lifting operation had been completed.
Establish provisions of alternative equipment more suited to the task of lifting or adjusting the height of the machine, for example;
- Toe jack or adjustable leg fitted to the machine's frame;
- Single or paired hydraulic lift jacks with the use of chocks;
- Fitting with lifting points in conjunction with forklift or crane with the use of chocks; and
- Fitting lockable screw jack castors to the legs of the machine's frame.
Defendant name:
Canterbury Dried Foods Limited
Industry:
Manufacturing
Date of offence:
17 September 2013
Facts in brief:
The victim was operating a Contra-Shear Inclined Rotary Screening machine, as an employee for the defendant company. The employee was asked to pick up two blocks and place them on the machine to allow it to be jacked up. As the machine was being pushed up, the machine toppled off the trolley jack and the leg of the machine fell onto the employee’s hand. The victim suffered amputation of their index finger.
Offence section:
S6 Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
Date(s) charged:
17 March 2014
Court:
Ashburton - District Court
Plea:
Guilty
Final decision date:
Decision:
Convicted
Fine imposed:
$42,000
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
Reparation:
$15,000
Related Documents:
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