A Canterbury company has been ordered to pay more than $230,000 after one of its workers lost three fingers in a horrific workplace accident.
The worker, from Canterbury Concrete Cutting NZ Ltd, was cutting alone in a manhole when he slipped in ankle-deep water in April 2018.
The concrete saw kicked back and sliced off three of his fingers.
His fingers were unable to be reattached, WorkSafe's chief inspector Steve Kelly says.
“The circumstances of this injury were absolutely preventable and any employer carrying out work in this kind of environment should be well aware of the risks," he said in a statement today.
“I ask employers and workers to consider the long term impact of losing three fingers. This worker has suffered injuries that will affect him for the rest of his life.”
The company has been fined $229,921 and also ordered to pay reparations of $23,400.
Mr Kelly says it's important businesses make a proper risk assessment and ensure there are appropriate safety controls and emergency procedures in place, to prevent serious injury.
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