Kart City fined $20,000 after boy suffers serious burns

Friday 28 February 2003

The owner of Kart City was sentenced to pay $20,000 today after a boy suffered serious burns to his face, hands and back after a go-kart accident in Invercargill last year.

Jennifer Ann Ladbrook was sentenced in the Invercargill District Court after being prosecuted by the Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH).

“This is a tragic case involving a 13-year-old boy who suffered serious and permanent injuries,” said John Pannett, OSH Service Manager Southland.

“The victim was put into an induced coma for approximately two weeks from the date of the accident. He was hospitalised for approximately 13 weeks, underwent eight operations and received 12 blood transfusions.

“New Zealanders being injured and killed in workplaces is simply unacceptable. The effects of this accident are ongoing for the victim, and also his family.

“Kart City is a place of work, and therefore Mrs Ladbrook, the person in control of that place, is required to make sure people who pay to be there are not harmed.”

The accident occurred after fuel escaped from an old, ill-fitting fuel cap, causing the kart to burst into flames when it tipped over. Prior to the accident Mrs Ladbrook had altered the configuration of the track, and had not taken the practicable step of having the newly configured track certified as safe for public use.

“Kart City was in the business of hiring out go-karts to members of the public. Go-karts are clearly vehicles, and vehicles, like all machinery, require maintenance. In this case, Mrs Ladbrook had never had the karts, let alone the fuel caps, serviced by a mechanic,” said Mr Pannett.

“Places of work need to be safe for everybody, including paying customers, visitors and those people in the vicinity.

“Employers must ensure that workplace hazards are identified and controlled correctly, and that their safety systems are constantly reviewed and updated.”