A Wanganui roofing company has been fined $45,000 after one of its workers fell from a roof.
W Goile Roofing was sentenced in the Whanganui District Court on Monday for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of an employee.
The worker, Cory Tui, was screwing downroofing at a kindergarten in Marton on February 26 when he stepped backwards and fell on to a sheet of iron that was bent upwards. The iron severed his tendon and cut his wrist putting him in hospital for two days and off work for two-and-a-half months.
Mr Tui and company director Warwick Golie were both wearing a safety harness but neither was attached to the safety point. Edge protection was also on site but had not been installed.
Worksafe New Zealand chief inspector Keith Stewart said there was no excuse for not using proper safety equipment, particularly when it was at hand.
"It beggars belief that Mr Tui and Mr Goile were both wearing a safety harness but they weren't secured."
Mr Goile had said he "just got lazy".
Mr Stewart said it was not good enough. "Working at a height is always risky. Both the harness and the edge protection should have been used. Safety gear is no good to anyone if it is not being used."
