Scaffolding firm fined after incident

Rotorua company A-Z Rigging and Scaffolding Limited has been fined $30,000 and ordered to pay reparation of $15,500 after a worker was seriously injured when he fell from a rotting scaffolding plank after it snapped.

The Rotorua District Court was told yesterday the company was contracted to supply and install scaffolding and scaffolding planks at a local building site in July last year.

A-Z Rigging and Scaffolding Limited had previous pleaded guilty to two charges brought under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. Judge Chris McGuire fined the company $30,000 and ordered them to pay reparation of $15,500.

An employee of engineering contractor Transom Engineering sustained head injuries when he fell 3.5m after the plank he was standing on snapped while he was working on the scaffolding.

Investigations revealed the plank was riddled with soft-rot fungi and the company had also failed to fully secure the plank to the scaffolding.

Transom Engineering's Mark Evans told The Daily Post yesterday the man, who is in his late 20s, was off work for a few months as a result of the incident but had made a full recovery and had returned.

A-Z Rigging and Scaffolding director Dudley Hoskin, who was in court yesterday, told The Daily Post that he felt bad for what had happened to the worker and had offered to pay more in reparation than the $15,500.

Mr Hoskin said the company's Bay of Plenty supervisor had met the worker and apologised to him. Mr Hoskin said they were doing regular and rigorous testing and the company was going to use steel planks instead of timber to ensure there wasn't a repeat of this incident.

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment central region health and safety manager Ona De Rooy said falls from any height could be deadly and the victim was extremely lucky to still be alive.

"This accident is a timely reminder for companies to follow the correct procedures when erecting scaffolding, outlined in the Scaffold and Rigging NZ Incorporated Best Practice Guidelines for Scaffolding in NZ (2009)," Ms De Rooy said.

"Our Best Practice Guidelines for Working at Height in New Zealand are also important reading for employers, contractors and employees who are required to work at height," Ms De Rooy said.