A Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) worker has been killed while working on a vessel which was being loaded with coal for export.
The incident occurred on Monday morning on the ship ETG Aquarius berthed at Cashin Quay and follows the death of 26-year-old Ports of Auckland worker Atiroa Tuaiti just a week earlier.
LPC acting chief executive Kirstie Gardener confirmed an employee had died while working on the vessel.
“I wish to express my deep sadness and condolences to both the family of our team member and to the rest of the LPC team.
“Our focus right now is on supporting our staff and the family of our LPC team member at this tragic time,” Gardener said.
Maritime New Zealand is investigating the death. Police will also conduct enquiries in relation to the death on behalf of the Coroner, who will release their findings in due course.
The recent incidents are sparking calls for an inquiry into port safety in New Zealand.
The Maritime Union of NZ, Rail and Maritime Transport Union and NZ Merchant Service Guild have called for an inquiry into port safety, from which national standards would be developed. The NZ Council of Trade Unions is also supporting the call.
“Three days out from Workers Memorial Day, yet another worker has been killed at work at a New Zealand Port,” says NZCTU president Richard Wagstaff.
“Every worker deserves to know that when they go to work in the morning, that they will be coming home safely at the end of the day. Sadly that is currently not the case in this industry, and urgent action is needed.”
Maritime Union of New Zealand national secretary Craig Harrison says the death of the Lyttelton port worker is another “tragic loss of life” and has “shaken the maritime industry”.
Harrison says workmates of the man will be devastated and the union will offer support to workers and the man’s family.
He says the death has hit workers in the industry hard, as it follows from the workplace death of Atiroa Tuaiti at the Ports of Auckland last week.
“These deaths and serious injuries in the port industry should not be happening, and the controls and processes and culture need to be fixed through national standards.”
