Update: Forestry worker dies

FILE

A 63-year-old worker is dead following an accident in the Kaingaroa Forest near Murupara.

Northern Police Communications Inspector Shawn Rutene said police received a report of an incident about 5.10pm yesterday. Mr Rutene said there was no other person involved.

A St John ambulance spokesman told the Rotorua Daily Post the BayTrust Rescue Helicopter had been called to attend but returned to base as a person had died.

Police officers remained on the scene for several hours last night as part of their investigation.

"Police are working alongside other agencies to try and clarify if the incident was work related," Mr Rutene said.

The accident was being investigated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the death had been reported to the coroner.

There have been eight forestry-related work deaths in New Zealand this year, according to Ministry of Building, Innovation and Employment statistics.

If this latest death was forestry-related it would bring the tally to nine in the Bay of Plenty over the past five years.

According to figures published by the Chief Coroner's office this month, the forestry sector has the nation's highest rate of workplace injury deaths.

There was an average of five fatalities a year between 2007-2013.

The number of serious incidents was also rising. The 188 serious-harm notifications last year were the highest number in five years.

A Rotorua coroner's joint inquest into four Bay of Plenty deaths and a sector-led safety review will both be carried out next year, in the hope of casting light on health and safety issues within the industry, and making recommendations for change.

The latest death came as a two-day Forest Industry Safety Summit began in Rotorua, aiming to address industry and government concerns around forestry safety.

The Forest Industry Engineering Association's John Stulen was unaware of the death when contacted last night and did not wish to comment.

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