Northland worker receives $30,000 after burning foot in molten zinc

Avon Industries has been ordered to pay more than $400,000 in fines and reparation after a worker burned his foot in molten zinc. Photo / John Stone

A Northland company has been ordered to pay more than $400,000 in fines and reparation after a worker's foot was burned in a bath of 465C molten zinc.

The accident cost Kamo-based Avon Industries a $371,250 fine, $30,000 reparation to the injured worker Shayne Volkner and WorkSafe costs of $1584, when sentenced by Whangarei District Court judge Deidre Orchard on Wednesday. Volkner's accident in October 2016 left him with deep burns to his left foot and ankle after molten zinc poured in over his safety boot.

His foot had slipped into a bath of the 465C liquid used to coat chain with zinc, after he fell backwards while trying to free a jammed machine.

Volkner spent 21 days in hospital, required a skin graft, and still had tingling pins and needles in his foot.

It was the third prosecution since 2009 against Avon Industries for failing to ensure the health and safety of its workers at its hot dip galvanising, engineering and paint facility in Kamo.

In 2009 and 2014, two workers lost part of their right index fingers in a machine.

Volkner declined to comment on the sentencing decision and Avon Industries did not respond to a request for comment.

A week before the accident, a supervisor warned Volkner after seeing saw him climb onto the side of the galvanising bath but the information was not passed on to the company managing director Richard Fisher.

WorkSafe's investigation found Avon Industries had not conducted a risk assessment on either the process or the machine.

A WorkSafe spokesman said Avon Industries did not have in place a safe system of work, or a formal training programme for dealing with machine malfunctions – even though jams were a known issue.

Judge Orchard said there was neither an operating manual for the machine nor safety guards in place to prevent workers falling into the molten zinc.

She said the company could guard against risks through appropriate training, supervision, monitoring and discipline.

"This is particularly so where the potential for death and/or serious injury is great.

"The acknowledged failure in these areas is consequently particularly culpable," Orchard said.