Whether a full-time employee or a contractor, those taking on workers have a responsibility to make sure they are properly protected.
In a recent court case, New Zealand’s Craggy Range vineyard in Martinborough was hit with a fine of $36,000 after a contract worker was injured in a quad bike accident in May of 2012.
The company was also ordered to pay $6500 in reparations to the worker when it appeared in the Masterton District Court recently. The company pleaded guilty to the charge brought by the Health and Safety Group of the Ministry.
The contract worker was one of two passengers sitting on the rear of the quad bike and as it drove forwards, he fell under a wheel of a trailer it was towing, breaking his arm.
Critical Piece of Safety Advice Ignored
“The circumstances of this accident directly contravene a critical piece of advice provided by the quad bike manufacturer and by the Ministry’s quad bike harm reduction program – these machines are not designed to carry passengers,” said Wairarapa Service Manager Dave Hulston.
“The owner’s manual states clearly never to carry passengers and the same statement is on a mudguard notice, yet it appears carrying passengers like this was common practice at the vineyard.
“Craggy Range has changed its procedures since this accident and now specifically prohibits carrying passengers, but if the company had met its obligations in the first place, this worker would not have broken his arm.”
Author Michael B. Stack, CPA, Director of Operations, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in employer communication systems and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. He is a writer, speaker, and website publisher. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: [email protected].
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