Media Releases
OSH Shocked at Foretry's Deadliest Week
Wednesday 30 July 1997
Three forestry workers have lost their lives in a week, a third of the total death toll of the previous 12 months, and a figure that has shocked the Department of Labour's Occupational Health and Safety Service (OSH).
A forestry worker was fatally crushed yesterday near Rotorua, following forestry deaths on July 21 in Tariki in South Taranaki and on July 24 in Kinlieth, near Hamilton. All are currently subject to an OSH investigation.
"OSH has identified forestry, along with the farming and construction, as New Zealand's most fatal industries," OSH spokesperson LisaMarie Richan said today. "But the frequency of these latest deaths have shocked OSH, prompting a further plea to industry to work together with OSH towards the elimination of death in the workplace."
"Since the introduction of the OSHadministered Health and Safety in Employment Act in April 1993, there has been 49 deaths of forestry workers, with most fatalities involving tree felling and machine operation, " Ms Richan said.
"Under the Act, the onus and power is with the employer to take 'all practicable steps' to identify and manage workplace hazards. OSH is urging employers to make health and safety an integral part of their management systems, as is required by law."
"Like all workplace fatalities, these three deaths will have a tremendous impact on the families and the community. OSH is calling on industry to not accept death as an inevitable part of their business, but to do all they can, such as training a skilled and safetyconscious workforce to end occupational death," said Ms Richan.
