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Court Summary - at a glance

Date of offence:
24 March 2014
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Decision:
Convicted but not fined as the Defendant is a Crown organisation
 
Final decision date:
 
Fine imposed:
$0

Safety lessons learned:
  1. Ensure that employees are familiar and comply with documented health and safety management system
  2. Ensure its employees are using the correct personal protective equipment (“PPE”) for the relevant outdoor adventure activity.
  3. Ensure that its employees use appropriate PPE in line with current industry practice and the manufacturers guidelines;
  4. To have ensured its employees had clearly understood and communicated their respective roles and responsibilities in respect of each outdoor adventure activity to each other.

Defendant name:
Waikato Institute of Technology
 
Industry:
Education and training
 
Date of offence:
24 March 2014
 
Facts in brief:
The victim was a student attending a high ropes course at the Waikato Institute of Technology. The fall arrest ropes used by the victim during the class had been incorrectly attached. The victim fell approximately 10 meters to the ground and the incident was not notified to WorkSafe as soon as possible after its occurrence.
 
Offence section:
SS15, 16(2)(b)(i), 25(3)(a) Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992
 
Date(s) charged:

Court:
Hamilton - District Court
 
Plea:
Guilty
 
Final decision date:
 
Decision:
Convicted but not fined as the Defendant is a Crown organisation
 
Fine imposed:
$0
 
Maximum fine available:
$250,000 for each offence
 
Reparation:
$30,000