MARITIME NZ has filed charges in relation to two fatal incidents and ports in New Zealand last year.
Investigations started last April after the deaths of Atiroa Tuaiti at the Ports of Auckland on 19 April, 2022 and Donald Grant at the Port of Lyttelton on 25 April of that year.
In relation to the death of Mr Tuaiti, Maritime NZ filed one charge against Wallace Investments (the stevedoring company). It is facing a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA). Mr Tuaiti died after being crushed under a container while working on a docked container ship.
New Zealand unions called for national health and safety standards in stevedoring after the accident.
Maritime NZ also filed two HSWA charges against Lyttelton Port Company in relation to the death of Donald Grant on 25 April 2022. Mr Grant died after he was struck by coal being loaded into a hatch of a vessel.
Maritime NZ director Kirstie Hewlett offered condolences to the families of Mr Tuaiti and Mr Grant on behalf of Maritime NZ.
“Everyone deserves to go home safely from work each day,” she said.
“In addition to our prosecutions, as a response to these tragic deaths, the minister of transport, Hon Michael Wood, requested that the Port Health and Safety Leadership Group provide him with advice on a collective set of actions, including regulatory standards, to address harm on New Zealand ports. This resulted in the development of the Ports Sector Insights Picture and Action Plan.”
Ms Hewlett said the work the leadership group has undertaken demonstrates port safety is a priority in New Zealand.
“Since the Action Plan was developed, a range of actions are well underway to improve port safety,” she said.
