|
The accident happened on 11 January 2004 when the driver of a truck towing a very wide trailer was accelerating up a narrow ramp on the vessel Fujimarine, which was berthed on the Auckland waterfront. The truck collided with the side of the ramp which caused the rear of the trailer to spin and strike two stevedores who were walking down the ramp.
One of the stevedores, a 22-year-old, was thrown against the side of the ramp and pinned against the safety railing. He was seriously injured, suffering a fractured thighbone and pelvis. He still suffers pain and nerve damage. The other stevedore suffered minor injuries.
Maritime Safety Authority Chief Accident Investigator, Mike Eno, says the accident simply should not have happened.
“The failure on the part of the company to ensure that appropriate procedures were in place for stevedores to use the ramp was extremely serious and put the lives of workers unnecessarily at risk.
“This accident is a reminder that every employer must proactively take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of employees while at work,” he said.
MSA is also prosecuting the driver of the truck. This trial is scheduled for later this year.
This is the third prosecution the MSA has concluded under the Health and Safety in Employment Act. In May 2003, the MSA became the designated authority to administer the Act for the maritime sector.
For further information contact:
RCCNZ Media Line
Phone 04 499 7318
 ››Back to media releases
|
|
|
| Frequently viewed topics: |
|
|
