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Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
13 September 2013
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$47,000

Safety lessons learned:

Enclose the work area by way of a fixed guard and provide a way to remove docked pieces of timber from the area (such as a push stick).

Defendant name:
Pankhurst Sawmilling Company Limited
 
Industry:
Forestry
 
Date of offence:
13 September 2013
 
Facts in brief:
Defendant company manages and operates a saw mill. The victim was employed by the defendant company as a general mill hand. One particular piece of equipment is a docking saw (known also as a swing pendulum saw). On 13 September, the employee was injured after his right hand came into contact with the docking saw at the mill. The saw cut through all four metacarpals in the hand and he received reconstructive surgery.
 
Offence section:
S6 Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
Invercargill - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$47,000
 
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
 
Reparation:
$22,000.00 (plus $130 Court costs)