Marine farming operator Paddy Bull Limited has been fined $180,000 following a serious workplace incident where an employee sustained an arm injury involving fast-turning machinery.
The incident happened on a mussel farm in the Coromandel in January 2023. The employee, who was reportedly working during a post mussel-harvest clean-up, placed his hand inside a mussel tumbler to clean it, unaware that another worker had just activated the machine.
“The victim’s arm was still inside the tumbler and got caught in the fast-turning machinery, causing significant injury,” said John Maxwell, the investigation’s manager at Maritime New Zealand.
“If the machinery had been configured in a way that stopped the tumbler from turning on while its doors were open, the incident would not have happened,” he added.
Maritime NZ urges operators to proactively manage risks in their operations and implement proper procedures to safeguard their workers. The agency recommends having the right measures in place to reduce risks to employees when machinery is operating.
The Auckland District Court released a decision earlier this month, stating that Paddy Bull violated the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 by exposing a worker to the risk of death and serious injury.
On top of the $180,000 fine, the court also ordered Paddy Bull to pay the victim reparations and court costs.
After the incident, Paddy Bull Limited has taken steps to modify the engineering controls on the tumbler to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future.