A Mangere freight business – CT Logistics – has been ordered to pay a fine of $50,000 and reparation of $5000 – in addition to $10,000 that had already been paid – after an 18-year-old contractor was crushed unloading a shipping container.
The incident occurred on September 8, 2011, when workers were unloading crates containing glass sheets at the company’s Mangere premises on Brigade Road.
As a large crate was removed from the container on a fork-lift it became unstable. The contractor tried to stop it from falling off but was unsuccessful. As the contents shifted in the container it fell off the fork-lift and landed on him causing a fractured skull, lacerations, a broken arm and bruising to most of his body.
CT Logistics Ltd pleaded guilty to two charges under the Health and Safety in Employment Act; one in relation to the injured contractor and another contractor, and one in relation to its own employee. All were exposed to the risk of harm while unloading the container.
John Howard, northern division general manager, health and safety, says: “This type of industry can be fast-moving and high-pressured as containers and vehicles are loaded and unloaded to tight deadlines and in confined spaces.
“However, there is no excuse for not carrying out this work in a safe environment. The company should have ensured a risk assessment had been carried out; used the safest and most appropriate method for removing this type of cargo; kept the area clear of non-essential personnel and ensured those carrying out the work were adequately trained and supervised.
“None of these things happened resulting in a severe injury to a worker that could easily have been avoided.”
