Putting interim controls for significant risks in place at the time of identifying them would have prevented a visitor’s death at South Port New Zealand in November 2015, says WorkSafe New Zealand.
The victim drowned when he lost control of his vehicle and slid off a wharf where there was ineffective cleaning.
Wet superphosphate fertiliser which is known to be very slippery was contaminating the surface of the wharf, after the loading of the material onto a vessel. Despite an initial sweep of the berth, the surface remained contaminated for two days.
A South Port New Zealand manager whose vehicle slid on the berth while driving at a reported 10 km/hour advised other managers that the area was slippery.
However, the port failed in informing the employees or other users of the risk nor did it isolate the affected area or erect hazard signs.
It also failed in warning visitors to the port of the danger posed by the slippery surface.
“Our investigation found that South Port New Zealand did not fulfil their duty to protect workers and others from harm while at work,” says WorkSafe chief inspector Steve Kelly.
“It lacked necessary policies to set procedures for when things go wrong, such as what to do with contamination, and staff were not trained to identify and manage risk,” he says.
“These failings are systemic. This business must lift its game on health and safety by developing the policies, procedures and training that underpin good risk management,” says Kelly.
