;

Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
6 May 2013
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$26,250

Safety lessons learned:
  1. The Department of Labour “Guidelines for Guarding Principles and General Safety for Machinery” published in 1995 sets out types of guarding which are suitable for different machines.
  2. The appropriate guarding where access to a dangerous part of a machine is sometimes necessary is an interlocked guard. This ensures that if the dangerous part of the machine is exposed it does not move.

Defendant name:
GMP Pharmaceuticals Limited
 
Industry:
Manufacturing
 
Date of offence:
6 May 2013
 
Facts in brief:
Defendant is a manufacturer of complementary medicines, dietary supplements, functional foods and infant formula. Employee’s role was to clear gelatin sheets on an encapsulation machine used to make gelatin capsules. Employee’s glove became stuck to the hot gelatine and his right hand was drawn into the in-running nip between die rollers. Amputation of three fingers was required and degloving to the other two fingers occurred.
 
Offence section:
S6 Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
Manukau - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted
 
Fine imposed:
$26,250
 
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
 
Reparation:
$25,000 (plus $132.89 Court costs)