Heavy Fines Kick In: Rangiora Carpets fined nearly $180k for a Safety Breach

Communication, Health and Safety sarah

A Christchurch business has learnt that they need to take falls from height seriously, you don’t have to be in ‘operations’ to be at risk and a safety breach can be costly. For more detailed information go to: Rangiora Carpets fined nearly $180k for staff member fall from mezzanine floor

What Happened?

  • The company did not apply for building consent when the mezzanine was installed in 2008 and no Code Compliance Certificate was issued

  • There was no balustrade or edge protection and the false ceiling was not designed to bear weight.

  • The worker was pushing a box of files in a storage area when they fell on June 2md 2016. They fell 2.5 metres through a false ceiling onto the floor and suffered a broken right arm, broken right shoulder, broken right collarbone, fractures to the left side of their pelvis and a laceration to their head. 

  • After the fall, the company prevented access to the mezzanine floor by putting a lock on the door and installed a balustrade.

What Did the Court Say?

  • WorksafeNZ said the company could easily have dealt with the hazard which had been in existence for over eight years.

  • Maximum possible fine was $1.5 million under the Health and Safety At Work Act 2015, three times the level under the 1992 Act.

Judge Tom Gilbert said “Fines should “bite”, but should not be so great they would force any company to close its doors. Communities depended on small businesses and 16 families in Rangiora relied on this firm for their livelihood.”

  • $157,500, fine
  • $20,000 emotional harm and reparation payment to the victim
  • $1,228  costs to Worksafe NZ

What can you do to avoid a W@H Health and Safety Breach?

Brett Murray (WorkSafe operations and specialist services manager) said “Falls from height always present a significant risk. Even a fall of less than three metres can result in serious injuries or death. Identifying the need for a barrier to protect workers on the mezzanine floor was imperative to avoiding this incident”

  1. Check your workplace and see if there are any places where someone can fall from height. If there is, engineer a solution.
  2. Check all working at height equipment (are the inspection records up to date?)
  3. Check your workplace ladders (are they safe and are inspection records up to date?)
  4. Check any scaffolds, edge protection and elevated mobile work platforms are fit for purpose
  5. Check that your workers have up to date training in working at heights certification if required

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