Who was sanctioned, and for what?

At a site for two-storey residential units in Kelston (Auckland), workers were working on the upper floor without adequate fall protection, and the site also had temporary platforms, partially removed scaffolding and unsecured ladders; WorkSafe (New Zealand's workplace health and safety regulator) therefore prohibited work at height on the second floor by a prohibition notice on 30 August 2024. Because work continued there on 2 and 4 September 2024 nonetheless, the Waitakere District Court imposed a fine of 38,500 NZD on 20 August 2026, plus costs of 1,099.10 NZD.

Authority / court

Waitakere District Court (Anklage: WorkSafe New Zealand)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, s 107(1), (2)(b)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Construction and real estate

Liability of senior managers

The prohibition notice had been issued to one of the directors.

Published

4 Sep 2026

Original amount 38,500 NZD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 20 Aug 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In June 2024 timber kicked back from an inadequately guarded stack saw at the Gisborne sawmill and seriously injured a worker's arm; seven weeks later another worker was crushed between two forklifts and suffered spinal and pelvic fractures. WorkSafe (New Zealand's workplace health and safety regulator) found systemic failings in machine guarding, risk assessment, traffic management, training and maintenance; the company had not notified the first incident and had not acted on earlier formal directions to fix the risks. On 18 March 2026 the Gisborne District Court imposed a fine of 601,250 NZD and 100,754 NZD in reparation.

Authority / court

Gisborne District Court (Anklage: WorkSafe New Zealand)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, ss 36(1)(a), 48(1), 48(2)(c)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Published

30 Mar 2026

Original amount 601,250 NZD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 18 Mar 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

At the Mount Maunganui fertiliser plant in July 2023, a worker cleaning the conveyor system fell onto a moving belt, was dragged under the frame of another conveyor and died. There was no effective, trained and monitored safe system of work for cleaning and maintenance, and no effective guarding or emergency stop devices. On 18 March 2025 the Tauranga District Court imposed a fine of 420,000 NZD (starting point 700,000 NZD, 40% discounts) and made no reparation order because the family had already received 287,202.86 NZD (77,000 NZD directly from the company and 210,202.86 NZD from a group life insurance policy held by the company).

Authority / court

Tauranga District Court (Anklage: WorkSafe New Zealand)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, ss 36(1)(a), 48(1), 48(2)(c) ([2025] NZDC 5282)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Mitigating circumstances

Guilty plea, remorse, cooperation and reparation, with discounts totalling 40%; payments to the family totalling 287,202.86 NZD, of which 77,000 NZD was paid directly and 210,202.86 NZD came from the company's group life insurance policy.

Original amount 420,000 NZD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 18 Mar 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In November 2020 a rack loaded with around nine tonnes of steel collapsed at the company's steel store in Wigram (Christchurch), killing a storeman; the racks were neither braced nor fixed to the floor, were not inspected regularly and had been built without engineering input. On 1 November 2024 the Christchurch District Court imposed a fine of 330,000 NZD (starting point 600,000 NZD) and 100,000 NZD in reparation for emotional harm; costs of 17,507.39 NZD were added.

Authority / court

Christchurch District Court (Anklage: WorkSafe New Zealand)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, ss 36(1)(a), 48(1), 48(2)(c)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Steel and metals

Repeat case

no

Mitigating circumstances

Reductions for cooperation (5%), remorse including payments already made to the family (10%), willingness to pay reparation (10%), guilty plea (15%) and no previous convictions in 43 years of trading (5%).

Published

11 Nov 2024

Original amount 330,000 NZD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 1 Nov 2024.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link