Fines of nearly half a million dollars over Canterbury poultry farm death
Monday, 16 December 2019
Penalties totalling nearly half a million dollars have been imposed on two companies involved in the death of a worker struck by a forklift at a poultry farm near Christchurch.
Tegel Foods Ltd faces penalties of about $200,000 plus costs of $12,000, and Alderson Poultry Transport Ltd has been ordered to pay $240,000 plus costs of $7000.
Kamila Mun, 51, a mother of seven, was struck and killed by a forklift in June 2017, on her first day of work at a poultry farm at Broadfields. She had taken a second jobs with a poultry transport company to help pay for her children's education.
Alderson's continues to employ her husband and support the family.
**READ MORE:
* Poultry transport company supporting family since worker's death
* Nearly 200,000 chickens die due to power failure at poultry farm, MPI investigates
* 'Beautiful, treasured' 4-year-old Jackson White killed by forklift
* Behind New Zealand's most popular meat**
Submissions on the penalties were heard before Judge Paul Kellar in the Christchurch District Court last week and he reserved his judgment for release on Monday.
Alderson's admitted failing to ensure the safety of an employee at work, and Tegel admitted a workplace safety charge of failing to comply with a relevant duty and exposing a person to a risk of death or serious injury.
Mun was employed on chicken catching operations. As she was leaving the shed to get a drink, she was struck and run over by a forklift carrying a full module of chickens. She died of crush injuries at the scene.
Police were called, followed by WorkSafe New Zealand.
Judge Kellar said WorkSafe's investigation revealed Alderson's chicken catching procedures did not involve physical separation between catchers and the forklift. That practice was consistent with industry-wide practice.
WorkSafe then issued a prohibition notice stopping forklifts operating in the sheds at the same time as chicken catchers.
Tegel and Alderson's have paid emotional harm reparations for Mun's death, as well as payments for 'consequential loss'. Judge Kellar assessed the total amounts and ordered further payments in each case.