Court Summary - at a glance
Date of offence:
25 February 2016
Plea:
Guilty
Decision:
Convicted
Final decision date:
Fine imposed:
$36,250
Safety lessons learned:
- Prioritise the development and implementation of a mechanical drool board that eliminates the need for employees to be exposed to the in-running nip during a web break and/or the start-up of the Extruder;
- Implement, document and communicate temporary safety arrangements to reduce the likelihood that employees would be harmed when using the drool board during a web break and/or a start-up of the Extruder; and
- Adequately guard the Laminator 2 drive side nip so as to comply with the Standard AS/NZS 4024. This could have been achieved by installing a combination of light curtains or safety laser scanners together with low barrier guards to prevent inadvertent contact with the nip point between the Pressure roller and Chill roller.
Defendant name:
Stratex (NZ) Limited
Industry:
Manufacturing
Date of offence:
25 February 2016
Facts in brief:
The Defendant company supplies packaging materials to food processors. It was founded in 1968 and has run its site in Sylvia Park since the installation of a “tandem extrusion coating line” (Extrusion Line) in 1986.
The Extrusion Line has a number of operating stations along it, where operators are able to control the overall production line. The machinery on that line is used, among other things, to apply polyethylene coatings (and similar resins) to paper and other substrates for food and industrial packaging.
The victim was an employee of the Defendant.
The machine involved in the incident was part of the Extrusion Line, and was known as an Extruder Machine. When the Extrusion Line stopped, the victim was required to hold a piece of plywood (drool board) below the Extruder Machine to stop heated plastic from dripping onto the rollers.
The victim’s hand was caught between the nip point between the two exposed rollers resulting in de-gloving injuries and fractures to the victim’s left hand.
The Extrusion Line has a number of operating stations along it, where operators are able to control the overall production line. The machinery on that line is used, among other things, to apply polyethylene coatings (and similar resins) to paper and other substrates for food and industrial packaging.
The victim was an employee of the Defendant.
The machine involved in the incident was part of the Extrusion Line, and was known as an Extruder Machine. When the Extrusion Line stopped, the victim was required to hold a piece of plywood (drool board) below the Extruder Machine to stop heated plastic from dripping onto the rollers.
The victim’s hand was caught between the nip point between the two exposed rollers resulting in de-gloving injuries and fractures to the victim’s left hand.
Offence section:
Sections 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
Date(s) charged:
Court:
Manukau - District Court
Plea:
Guilty
Final decision date:
Decision:
Convicted
Fine imposed:
$36,250
Maximum fine available:
$250,000
Reparation:
$21,000
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