NZ: Seasonal worker loses three fingers in conveyor belt incident

A teenage seasonal worker suffered serious injuries to his hands when he was caught in a conveyor belt at a stone fruit producer in Central Otago, New Zealand. The company was fined $225,000 and ordered to pay reparations of $37,465 to the victim as of the 1st of September 2023.

Seasonal worker incident

The worker, who was 19 at the time, was working for an orchard in February 2021. He was on his fifth consecutive summer job with the company, which is a leading producer of cherries, apricots, and nectarines.He was trying to fix a chain on a conveyor belt that was used to transport fruit from the orchard to the packhouse. The conveyor belt was still running when he reached into the machine. His hands were drawn into the machine and trapped between the chain and the sprocket.The worker suffered two fractured fingers on his left hand and had to have three fingers on his right hand partly amputated. He also lost some sensation and movement in his hands.

WorkSafe investigation: What went wrong?

A WorkSafe investigation found that the company had failed to ensure the health and safety of its workers. The investigation revealed that:

• The conveyor belt had poor safeguarding and was not designed for human interaction.
• A proper risk assessment of the machinery and the work environment was not conducted.
• Adequate training, supervision, or instructions for workers on how to use and maintain the machinery safely, had not been provided.
• The company had not implemented lockouts to isolate and de-energise the machinery before workers could access it.
• The incident was not reported to WorkSafe as soon as possible.

The conveyor belt involved in the incident has now been decommissioned.

What are the consequences?

As a consequence, the company was charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 for failing to comply with its duty to ensure the health and safety of its workers and exposing them to risk of serious injury.They pleaded guilty and were sentenced in a reserved decision from the Alexandra District Court on 1 September 2023. The company was fined $225,000 and ordered to pay reparations of $37,465 to the victim.WorkSafe’s area investigation manager, Steve Kelly, says that the injuries were significant and affected the victim’s independence. The incident highlights the importance of seasonal workers' safety: that they are entitled to health and safety protection as much as permanent workers.

How can you learn more?

Read more about the safe use of machinery and WorkSafe prosecutions.

‍Sources

‍Preventable injury puts seasonal worker safety in focus by WorkSafe NZ, 4th September, 2023.