Media Releases
Polynesian Spa sentenced almost three years after bather’s death
14 February 2006
Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa Ltd has been fined $12,000 and ordered to pay reparation of $63,000 after pleading guilty today to a charge of failing to provide adequate surveillance of its pools.
The hot-pool complex had originally pleaded not guilty to a charge laid under the Health and Safety in Employment Act, after the death of Wanganui artist Joanna Paul, who was found face down in the spa's "Priest Pool" in May 2003. It changed its plea to guilty in the Rotorua District Court today.
The Department of Labour prosecuted Polynesian Spa for failing to adequately supervise bathers at its complex. The pool owners had identified that pool users were at risk of drowning, suffering heat exhaustion or fainting, but failed to regularly check on bathers in its Radium and Priest Pools.
Chief advisor, health and safety Mike Cosman said Polynesian Spa was now PoolSafe accredited. This meant a dedicated pool supervisor was on duty during peak periods, and at times of low use the passive pools were monitored every 5 minutes.
Mr Cosman said the Department prosecuted because of the death and the pool’s ineffective public safety systems at the time.
“Pools of this nature can be dangerous, and people have every right to expect their safety to be the number one consideration.”
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.
ENDS
