Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
22 April 2013
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$25,000

Safety lessons learned:
  1. Ensure the tree felling work is carried out by a suitably trained person.
  2. Ensure the employees have an appropriate level of supervision while working in a hazardous environment.
  3. Ensure that adequate hazard identification is carried out.
  4. Ensure employees are in the safety zone after making the ‘scarf’ cuts to the tree and not step out of the safe zone until the grapple had been administered to the trunk and it is safe to return.

Defendant name:
R & S Dreaver Shelter Trimmers Limited
 
Industry:
Forestry
 
Date of offence:
22 April 2013
 
Facts in brief:
Employee was doing chain saw cuts with the assistance of another employee to help the trees to fall correctly. Employee went into the safety zone after placing scarf cuts on the tree trunk. However, he returned from the safe zone too early and was struck by falling branches resulting in fatality.
 
Offence section:
S6 Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
Dunedin - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$25,000
 
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
 
Reparation:
$55,000
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