WorkSafe New Zealand | WorkSafe is cautioning all businesses that work at height to review their safety systems, following sentencing for a fall that nearly killed a KiwiRail employee.
The man fell 10 metres while installing a telecommunications pole in Whanganui in October 2023. He suffered a torn artery, a torn liver, a broken sternum, a punctured left lung, nine fractured vertebrae, and five fractured ribs. He later developed blood clots in his legs which required surgery to remove.
WorkSafe’s investigation identified fundamental failures in how KiwiRail managed the introduction of the telecommunications pole. The Oclyte pole was a new design for KiwiRail, and different from the wooden poles workers had previously used. Despite this significant change, there was no detailed specific risk assessment conducted, no dedicated procedures were developed, and workers lacked training in risk assessment for complex work at height.
The investigation found a fall arrest system was installed but not in use at the time and climbing pegs on the pole had been incorrectly installed. KiwiRail did also not provide safer methods, such as a mobile elevated work platform, for the job.
KiwiRail has been fined $220,000 and ordered to pay reparations of $28,500 for its breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
