A Rotorua company has been fined $234,000 after a teenage contractor was struck in the face by a 412-kilogram steel beam being manoeuvred by a modified crane.
Harrison Gilbert was knocked unconscious following the incident at Lakeland Steel on the day of his 17th birthday in October 2022, WorkSafe said today in a statement.
Gilbert received more than 100 stitches in his face, a broken nose and eye socket, several teeth which had been smashed or lost, and skull fractures.
He required facial reconstruction surgery and has more planned in the future.
A WorkSafe investigation found the mobile crane had no certificate of inspection, no load safety devices fitted, and unclear labelling on its controls. The load also should have had a tag line or tether to steady it.
The workplace health and safety regulator was also critical of the firm’s failure to maintain the crane, which appeared to have originally been a log skidder bought in the 1970s by Lakeland Steel’s previous owner.
WorkSafe said the teenager – who had not been trained in any of the activities associated with the crane – had been dividing his attention between the load and working with the crane operator when he was hit.
“This young worker was traumatically let down through no fault of his own. Simply put, the crane should not have been operational,” WorkSafe area investigation manager Paul West said.
“Businesses must manage their risks. This includes regularly checking all their equipment to check it’s fit for purpose and compliant. Pay extra attention to modified or older equipment so it doesn’t get neglected while still operational.”
The Crane Association said the incident highlighted the importance of ensuring freely suspended crane loads were controlled by a tag line or tether.
“In an industry full of risks, it’s important to understand all the elements that contribute to working safely. Businesses must train their staff in selecting and properly using tag lines, because you don’t want injuries like these on your conscience if things go wrong,” the association’s chief executive Sarah Toase said.
Lakeland Steel was sentenced in the Rotorua District Court on Thursday. The company was fined $234,000 and ordered to pay reparations of $54,131.
The maximum penalty was a fine of up to $1.5 million.