Person in serious condition after being trapped at Ports of Auckland
Friday, 10 December 2021
A person is in a serious condition and multiple investigations are under way after an incident at Ports of Auckland on Friday morning.
Fire and Emergency (FENZ) was called to the Fergusson Container Terminal, a dedicated container handling facility, at about 7.40am.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission said a person slipped and became trapped in a raising gangway – the stairs that lead from a ship to the wharf – by their leg, suffering serious injuries.
The person was extricated by FENZ crews and taken to Auckland City Hospital via ambulance, a St John spokeswoman confirmed.
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A Ports of Auckland spokesman said the company was aware of a person being injured on a ship on Friday morning.
He said the person injured was not a Ports of Auckland staff member but a member of a ship’s crew.
Transport Accident Investigation Commission chief investigator Harald Hendel said it was investigating the incident, which happens when an accident is likely to have significant implications for transport safety.
The investigation involved interviewing the crew, port workers and other witnesses, as well as gathering evidence from videos and records from the ship and port.
The Commission may make recommendations to improve transport safety following the investigation.
Maritime New Zealand principal investigator Tracy Phillips said it’s been notified of the incident.
Investigators attended the scene to establish the circumstances of the incident, she said.
Ports of Auckland has seen three deaths since 2017.
In 2020, 31-year-old Pala’amo (Amo) Kalati who worked as a stevedore at the ports, died after being crushed by a container at the Fergusson terminal.
In March this year, an independent review found serious health and safety changes need to be made at the Ports of Auckland.
The review, conducted by Construction Health and Safety New Zealand, found there were “systemic” problems at the ports in relation to “critical” aspects of health and safety.
Among the recommendations were that the chief executive “prioritise safety over productivity and profitability”, help to change “at-risk behaviours”, and communicate proactively to staff about safety, instead of reactively.
Former chief executive of Ports of Auckland Tony Gibson resigned in May after criticism following the three deaths, health and safety issues and delays in cargo traffic.