Employer penalised $340,000 for H&S breach...
The District Court has found an employer guilty of failing to take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of its employees after a worker was crushed to death in a vehicle accident.
The employee was riding a quad bike which overturned. The bike was found to have incorrectly inflated tyres and was not fitted with any crush protection devices.
The employer was fined $230,000 and ordered to pay $110,000 reparation to the victim’s family.
Since the accident the employer has fitted crush protection devices to its quad bikes and purchased motorbikes and side by side vehicles which do not carry the same risk of crush injuries from overturning.
It is important the employers assess all the risks from their activities and take steps to prevent accidents and injuries before they occur.