A timber delivery worker who died after his truck-mounted crane struck live power lines in the Auckland suburb of Greenhithe would still be alive had his employer properly planned the job, WorkSafe New Zealand says.
Wesley Talakai, 38, was delivering timber to a residential property in August 2023 when the crane he was operating came into contact with overhead lines. He died at the scene.
Talakai had raised concerns with his employer, NZ Solid, about the cramped site and the proximity of power lines, but the company instructed him to continue the job and provided a gate code to access the property. The crane was operating just 2.5 metres from live lines, well inside the legal minimum of four metres. NZ Solid did not seek the required consent from the line owner to work within that distance.
The company was sentenced at the North Shore District Court on November 5 for health and safety failures.
In a victim impact statement, Talakai’s wife, Natasha, told the court the time since his death had been “excruciatingly difficult, exhausting, painful, and lonely”.
“This was a preventable death,” WorkSafe regional manager Brad Duggan says.
“Working near power lines is a well-known hazard, and there are clear rules and guidance in place for a reason.”
WorkSafe’s investigation found the company relied on verbal instructions, had an inadequate lift plan, and failed to properly assess the risks associated with overhead lines.
“Risk management isn’t a box-ticking exercise,” Duggan says.
“It’s about making sure workers go home safe. That means planning the job, knowing the limits of your equipment, maintaining safe distances, and never assuming it’ll be fine.”
WorkSafe says businesses have access to clear, legally grounded guidance on working near overhead electric lines and has urged PCBUs to understand and meet their responsibilities.
Judge Fitzgibbon fined NZ Solid $330,000 and suppressed the amount of reparations.
The company was charged under sections 36(1)(a), 48(1) and 48(2)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 for failing to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its workers, including Talakai, while carrying out a timber delivery.
