Worker Survives Digger Bucket Fall

Worker Survives Digger Bucket Fall

An Auckland worker is lucky to be alive after a digger bucket fell onto him, according to the Department of Labour.

The Department of Labour charged Builders Corner Limited following the accident on 3 November 2009 in Orakei when the bucket came off the digger, striking the employee and leaving him with serious leg injuries and head injuries.

At the Auckland District Court today, Builders Corner was fined $10,000 and ordered to pay reparations of $17,500 for failing to ensure employees were safe when using its machinery.

The court heard that the employee was unloading a digger and bucket attachment at a building site when the accident happened. The bucket was not compatible with the digger, and failed to release properly, so the operator assumed the switch wasn’t working and didn’t relock it. A short time later, the bucket fell from the digger, hitting the employee and seriously injuring him.

Builders Corner Limited failed to identify and control the hazard posed by incompatible equipment, exposing one of its workers to an unacceptable risk, says Department of Labour Auckland Central Service Manager, Claire Morris.

“It’s crucial that employers ensure their equipment is compatible with other parts of the machinery, or in this case, the digger. Otherwise their employees risk serious injury or even death,” Ms Morris says.

ENDS

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