Auckland port death: Raft of safety breaches before man was crushed by container
Monday, 7 September 2020
There were a series of safety breaches in the lead-up to the death of a Ports of Auckland wharfie who was crushed by a container, the maritime regulator says.
Maritime NZ has slapped the company with a notice to urgently improve safety following the death of Pala’amo (Amo) Kalati early on Sunday, August 30.
An eyewitness account, together with the notice obtained by Stuff, shed new light on the events leading up to the death of father of seven, who was farewelled at a small funeral service on Monday.
The 31-year-old was working aboard a ship while containers were being unloaded about 2am on August 30, in the depths of the graveyard shift.
**READ MORE:
* 'Devoted family man' Amo Kalati named as wharfie who was crushed to death
* Auckland wharfies make claims of lax safety, near-miss before man was crushed
* Wharfie was crushed to death by container on ship at Ports of Auckland
**
He had only worked at the port for a short period and was employed as a lasher, responsible for securing and unlashing containers to be loaded or unloaded from ships using cranes.
A witness said Kalati and a colleague were standing near two containers which had begun to be hoisted up by a crane from the ship.
The containers were not far off the ground when one tilted and tumbled over, crushing and killing the man.
Maritime NZ and police have launched a joint investigation into the death.
On Friday, Maritime NZ inspector Jason Lunjevich issued an improvement notice to Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL) deputy chief executive Wayne Thompson.
The notice said Lunjevich believed the port was likely to be contravening the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 by not effectively ensuring compliance with proper procedures and safety measures to protect workers during loading or unloading operations.
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It also revealed breaches of procedure in the lead up to his death, including a supervisor failing to tell a crane driver there were workers in his lifting zone.
“Enquiries indicate the deceased and a colleague were not working in the POAL’s required safety zone at the time of the incident, the crane driver was not aware of the workers’ presence in the lift zone, and the supervisor failed to advise the crane driver of the presence of workers in the lifting area and monitor the team's activities as required by POAL procedures,” Lunjevich wrote.
On that basis, Lunjevich said it was likely the company was not effectively ensuring compliance with safety measures to protect workers.
As a remedial measure, he recommended workers not be allowed in areas where containers could fall on them.
Lunjevich also recommended the port ensure supervisors and crane drivers are aware when workers are in the lifting zone and make sure workers are appropriately trained.
“Processes for minimising the risks associated with falling objects must be communicated to workers,” he wrote.
POAL has repeatedly declined to comment on anything related to the circumstances of the death while the investigation is ongoing.
The notice required a remedy to the health and safety breaches by September 14.
Kalati family has declined to comment.
Maritime Union of New Zealand Auckland Local 13 secretary Russell Mayn called for a full review into health and safety at the port.
The “totally preventable tragedy” exposed systemic failings in the port’s systems, he said.
The death came less than two weeks after the Ports of Auckland admitted a health and safety charge at the Auckland District Court following the death of 23-year-old Laboom Midnight Dyer two years earlier.
Dyer was driving a straddle carrier on Fergusson Wharf when it tipped. He was seriously injured and died in hospital five days later.
In July, Ports of Auckland and one of its skippers were fined for failing to comply with their health and safety duties after a pilot boat accidentally struck and killed ocean swimmer Leslie Gelberger.