Investigation into port worker's death complete

29 September 2006

The Department of Labour has completed its investigation into the death of a forklift driver at the Port of Napier in March.

Health and safety service manager for Hawkes Bay Murray Thomson said the Department would be taking no further action against the Port in relation to the fatality.

“After a thorough, six-month investigation, we have been unable to prove any practicable steps that the Port, as the employer, could have taken at the time to prevent this tragic incident.”

The Department’s investigation found the worker died after he drove a forklift, which was loaded above the weight limit for the wharf, over a decommissioned capstan unit. The capstan unit collapsed, leaving a hole in the wharf. The forklift’s front wheel went into the hole and tipped, causing the mast of the forklift and the shipping container it was carrying to fall off the edge of the wharf and into the water. This allowed the main unit of the forklift to completely roll over on the wharf, crushing the driver’s cab.

The inability of the capstan unit to sustain the loaded forklift driven by the victim was the main factor that contributed to his death.

Mr Thomson said the Port and the man’s family had been advised of the outcome of the investigation.

To the journalist: please note that health and safety services formerly referred to as Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) should now be referred to as the Department of Labour.