WorkSafe NZ to meet Lyttelton Port management

WorkSafe New Zealand has requested an urgent meeting with the management of the Lyttelton Port of Christchurch following the latest workplace death at the port.

WorkSafe’s acting Chief Executive Brett Murray will meet with the port company’s senior management on Tuesday to discuss health and safety at the Lyttelton Port.

WorkSafe yesterday launched an investigation after the death of a worker at the port in an incident involving a scissor lift.

“Yesterday’s death was the third at the port in the last year. Ports are an inherently dangerous working environment but these deaths are completely unacceptable.

“This latest incident is particularly concerning given that WorkSafe has been working actively at the port. We have issued five improvement notices, six prohibition notices and four written warnings at the port this year. There are also several ongoing investigations.

“On Tuesday we will talk directly to the port company’s senior leadership and worker representatives about the state of affairs at the port. There are clearly serious risks at the port that need to be effectively managed and we want to ensure the port company is doing this.

“The face-to-face meeting will be a chance for WorkSafe to set out clearly our expectations of the port, and seek a commitment from the company about how it will respond to the ongoing health and safety issues at the facility,” says Brett Murray.

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