One patient was assessed at the scene and taken to Nelson Hospital in a serious condition.
Wood product manufacturing business Prolam confirmed one of its employees was injured in a workplace incident, however said it “did not involve a fire or an explosion”.
“Preliminary information indicates the employee was carrying out maintenance work involving cutting an empty glue drum when the incident occurred, resulting in a laceration,” the company said in a statement.
“First aid was administered immediately, and emergency services attended the site promptly. The employee was transported to Nelson Hospital for further assessment and treatment and has since been discharged.”
Prolam said all relevant procedures are being followed and authorities notified.
“The health and safety of our people is our highest priority, and our immediate focus is on the well-being of the team member concerned, as well as supporting others that were on-site at the time.
“The incident will be fully investigated to determine contributing factors and to strengthen safety controls and procedures to prevent future incidents.”
WorkSafe said it had been notified of the incident and is making initial inquiries to determine the circumstances.
“WorkSafe currently has a focus on the wood product manufacturing subsector and are completing proactive assessments of these businesses across the country,” a statement read.
“These visits aim to help businesses understand their health and safety responsibilities and manage critical risks such as hazardous substances.
“There are more injuries in manufacturing than any other sector, and it has the fifth-highest number of workplace deaths.”
