Ecostore worker suffers permanent eye damage in chemical incident
Monday, 13 January 2025
An Auckland Ecostore employee suffered permanent damage to his eyesight after being exposed to hazardous chemicals during a workplace incident.
The incident occurred on March 7, 2023, at the company’s factory in Pakuranga, while the worker was producing dishwash powder. A pressurised hose malfunctioned, releasing chemicals that caused the worker’s injury.
Following an investigation, WorkSafe accepted Ecostore's commitment to improving its health and safety practices.
The company paid over $20,000 in compensation and pledged to implement a “holistic cultural shift” in safety protocols.
According to WorkSafe, the worker had just finished blending dry ingredients and was adding liquid components using a pressurised spraying system.
“He had walked … away from the spray system when one of the hose clamps failed,” the agency stated.
“[This] caused a vertical spray of litres of mixture … about 6 metres in the air from the pressure pot outlet.
“The [worker], who was initially well clear of the spray, walked back to the pressure pot to shut it down.
“In doing so, he was showered with liquid. He had not been trained to respond appropriately to a release of a pressurised substance and the correct use of PPE for such situations.”
WorkSafe found that the injured worker and others had not been provided adequate training on chemical safety, emergency procedures for spills, or handling pressurised substances.
It also noted gaps in training around PPE use, insufficient access to appropriate protective equipment, and inadequate first aid measures following the incident.
Ecostore’s group chief operating officer, Tony Acland, expressed regret over the harm caused.
“We acknowledge the professional and personal impact such an experience has on an individual, as well as the wider team.
“We recognise the importance of going beyond just compliance, and we take our responsibility to ensure the health and safety of our employees incredibly seriously. We are committed to continuous improvement in this space and have already implemented numerous advancements,” he said.
Ecostore applied for an “enforceable undertaking” with WorkSafe, agreeing to implement a series of safety measures.
The company referred to its plans as a “holistic cultural shift,” which includes installing AI-equipped security cameras to monitor and address health and safety risks, as well as redesigning workspaces to enhance worker protection.
In addition to the compensation paid to the injured employee, Ecostore has funded a pilot training programme by Blind Low Vision NZ to assist companies in supporting visually impaired workers.