Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
27 August 2014
 
Plea:
Not Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$72,500

Safety lessons learned:

Ensure all nip points on conveyors are adequately guarded.

Defendant name:
Taylor Preston Limited
 
Industry:
Manufacturing
 
Date of offence:
27 August 2014
 
Facts in brief:
The Defendant company operates a meat processing factory.

The victim was employed as part of the night cleaning team.

On the night of the incident, the victim was working on the beef floor. She reached down to remove a piece of meat that was stuck on a moving conveyor and knocked it down the side of a pulley. As she reached in again to remove the meat, the glove on her right hand was been drawn in between the conveyor belt and tail pulley.

The victim’s hand was trapped for a short time until she was able to pull it clear. She suffered a fracture to the metacarpal bone of her right hand that required surgery as well as muscle, tendon and tissue damage.
 
Offence section:
Sections 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
Wellington - District Court
 
Plea:
Not Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$72,500
 
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
 
Reparation:
$8,000