Manufacturing company fined after worker's hand is crushed
Media Release
19 November 2010
A Lower Hutt company has today been fined $24,000 and ordered to pay reparation of $8,000 after a worker was seriously injured because the machine he was working on wasn’t adequately guarded.
The employee of Dexion Commercial (New Zealand) Limited, which trades as Precision, got his hand caught in a punch and forming press on 1 March 2010. The employee put his hand into an opening in the guard to get a metal strip into place on the machine. While he was doing this he accidentally touched the foot pedal and the press crushed his hand.
“This accident could easily have been prevented had the machine been properly guarded,” says Department of Labour Central Regional Manger, Brett Murray.
“Employers have a legal duty to ensure that adequate guards are in place to prevent injuries.
“Sadly these types of accidents are happening all too often because employers don’t seem to be taking machine guarding seriously.
“This is a major area of focus for the Department. A three-year machine guarding project is underway in an attempt to reduce the number of injuries.
“The Department has guidelines available on its website on the safe use of machinery. Had Precision followed these guidelines their worker might not have been injured.
“Since the accident the company has addressed the guarding issues on the machine to prevent a similar accident from happening.”
ENDS
Note to Editor
- Dexion Commercial New Zealand Limited trading as Precision was convicted on one charge under Section 6 of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.
- Section 6 of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 states: Every employer shall take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of employees while at work; and in particular shall take all practicable steps to—
- provide and maintain for employees a safe working environment; and
- provide and maintain for employees while they are at work facilities for their safety and health; and
- ensure that plant used by any employee at work is so arranged, designed, made, and maintained that it is safe for the employee to use; and
- ensure that while at work employees are not exposed to hazards arising out of the arrangement, disposal, manipulation, organisation, processing, storage, transport, working, or use of things—
- in their place of work; or
- near their place of work and under the employer's control; and
- develop procedures for dealing with emergencies that may arise while employees are at work.
- The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 is available online.
- 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.
