WorkSafe New Zealand | A worker’s life-changing injuries at a commercial bakery have exposed fundamental safety failures that WorkSafe says are far too common across New Zealand workplaces.
The worker’s hand was pulled into machine rollers at French Bakery in Christchurch in April 2023. His index finger was amputated, thumb partially amputated, and middle finger crushed.
Following a WorkSafe investigation, the company admitted work health and safety failures under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and has now been sentenced in the Christchurch District Court where it was ordered to pay a fine of $200,000, alongside reparations of $45,500
The Court heard how workers were cleaning and maintaining machinery without any method to ensure it couldn’t be turned on while they were exposed to moving parts. Some had never been trained or given proper equipment.
French Bakery’s risk assessments are said to have identified some hazards but completely missed the crushing risk from rotating parts inside the machine involved.
Although the business held extensive documentation, workers reported they had not seen lockout tags used, did not know where equipment was kept, and had not been trained in essential procedures.
