Employee fined $15,000 after worker's death

Friday 11 May 2001

An employer and employee were both fined today after a man died in a workplace accident in Christchurch last year.

Gerard Paul Moore was sentenced to pay $15,000 for failing to ensure that his actions at work didn’t harm another person. This is the largest single fine against an employee under the Health and Safety and Employment Act of 1992 (HSE).

Two other parties were also fined as a result of this accident where Mark Goggin was killed after having been crushed by a crane driven by Mr Moore.

Mr Moore’s employer, Screening and Crushing Systems Limited, who had overall responsibility for the workplace, was convicted and fined $20,000 for failing to ensure the safety of the deceased.

The deceased’s direct employer, Lance Penegelly, had earlier pleaded guilty and been fined $7,500 in relation to this accident. The three fines totalled $42,500.

"This was a horrific accident which left a man dead and his family and friends devastated," said Margaret Radford, Service Manager, Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH), Christchurch.

"Employees have a responsibility under the HSE Act to ensure that they don’t cause harm to others through their work.

"Where they fail to do this they can, and will, be held accountable.

"The case also highlights the need for companies which engage contractors to ensure that the work is co-ordinated to ensure that health and safety is maintained at all times.

"It also shows that there can be multiple responsibilities when accidents occur."