Employers advised to ensure loads are secure

The NZ Department of Labour is advising employers to ensure large loads are secure and evenly packed, following the case of a worker who was seriously injured by a falling load of glass and is still unable to work more than a year later.

The warning comes after Metropolitan Glass and Glazing was fined $30,000 in the Auckland District Court following a 2008 incident in which a stack of glass weighing 671 kg fell onto a worker at its Mt Maunganui premises. The glass was being transported on an old trolley that lacked poles to properly secure the glass and magnified by its uneven distribution of 671 kg on one side and just 308 kg on the other side, creating an unbalanced load. As the trolley was turned, the load tipped and fell onto the worker, fracturing his tibia and femur.

The company pleaded guilty to one charge under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the worker was not exposed to the risk of injury.

The judge pointed out the incident could easily have been prevented. Department of Labour Workplace Services Manager Ona De Rooy said this must have been obvious, as the injured worker and a fellow employee were steadying the load as it was being transported through the workplace.

“Loads need to be properly secured and evenly distributed,” commented De Rooy. “Employers need to ensure their employees are properly trained in loading techniques and requirements. They should also ensure the equipment they use is safe and capable of performing the tasks asked of it. Taking health and safety seriously is not expensive. Ignoring it costs more in the long run.”