October 26, 2012
Media Release

Low Pike River fine sends wrong signal

The $46,000 fine imposed on VLI Drilling in Greymouth today for its failures at the Pike River mine is shockingly low, says the miners’ union, the EPMU.

The company faced a potential fine of $750,000 over three charges relating to its failure to take all practicable steps to protect its employees’ health and safety at the mine.
VLI, a subsidiary of Sydney-based Valley Longwall International, had Josh Ufer, 25, Ben Rockhouse, 21, and Joseph Dunbar, 17, down the mine at the time of the fatal explosion on November 19, 2010. It was Joseph Dunbar's first day at work.

EPMU Director of Organising Alan Clarence says the shockingly low fine sends the wrong signal.

“The EPMU shares the concerns of the Pike River families over the low level of the fine. This sends the wrong message to companies looking to cut corners on health and safety and is particularly concerning given the loss of life at the mine.

“VLI essentially contracted out its health and safety checks to Pike River, abdicating its most basic responsibilities as an employer.

“Everyone wants to duck responsibility for what happened in the mine. Pike River was contracted to carry out the safety checks but VLI should have ensured that the tests had been completed.

“This is what happens when companies try to devolve their responsibility to provide a safe workplace by contracting out, and the result is New Zealand’s unacceptably high rate of workplace deaths and injuries.

“The Government needs to ensure this kind of employment practice is not allowed again. It can do this by introducing worker-elected check inspectors to ensure safety checks are being done, and by strengthening the law to ensure companies cannot contract out of their health and safety responsibilities.

“We will be arguing strongly for these changes in the Government’s current health and safety review and the upcoming Pike River Royal Commission report.”

Mr Clarence also expressed disbelief that the court did not allow the families to give victim impact statements.

ENDS

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