Worker dies at meatworks
Flags are flying at half-mast at a Taranaki meatworks after a worker died on the site yesterday morning.
Police and the Eltham fire brigade were called to the Anzco Foods plant in London St, Eltham, about 6.25am.
A staff member, who works at the plant but wouldn’t be named, said the employee had been crushed by a machine.
WorkSafe New Zealand has been advised and inspectors were on site and looking into the circumstances, a spokeswoman said.
‘‘I can advise that WorkSafe has been notified of a fatality at a workplace in Eltham,’’ she said.
Anzco chief executive Peter Conley said the worker was a contractor working on site.
‘‘Anzco’s priority at this sad time is supporting the family and Anzco staff as we investigate how this tragic accident occurred,’’ Conley said.
‘‘We are working closely with the police and Worksafe.’’
The site, which was due to close tomorrow for the holiday break, was not operating, he said.
A group of staff at the site in the morning, which had its flags flying at half-mast, were seen sitting outside what appeared to be a lunch room.
A police ute and two carloads of detectives also attended.
A police spokeswoman said in a written statement the death would be referred to the coroner.
The owners of Inflame Cafe in Eltham said they had a work do booking for staff from the plant last night but it had been
cancelled.
A staff member from the town’s Four Square said they had heard something had happened but were not aware a worker had died.
It’s the third time WorkSafe has investigated incidents at the site this year.
In February, a 28-year-old man was taken to hospital after accidentally stabbing himself in the face at the site.
He was flown to Taranaki Base Hospital in New Plymouth in a serious condition, a St John spokeswoman said at the time.
Police and WorkSafe were called to investigate the incident, which was believed to be accidental.
Then in late March a female worker suffered cuts to her arm while cleaning a piece of machinery and was taken to hospital.
WorkSafe was advised and made inquiries. In a statement at the time a spokeswoman said no further action would be taken.
In 2014, Riverlands Eltham, which had recently rebranded as Anzco Foods, was fined $57,949 and told to pay a teenage worker $15,000 after he was maimed by a hoof-removing machine.
The company was sentenced under the Health and Safety in Employment Act, for failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of an employee.
The 17-year-old worker was originally tasked with scanning ear tags but on December 3, 2013, he was on his third shift and operating a beef hoof remover, unsupervised, when he accidentally activated a foot pedal and his hand was drawn into the machine.
He spent five days in hospital after his hand was crushed and lacerated and still suffers pain.
That incident came nearly 10 months after the company was ordered to pay more than $54,000 in fines and compensation after a man lost the top of a finger in a conveyor belt.
After a three-day defended hearing in New Plymouth, Judge Max Courtney found Riverlands had breached the Health and Safety in Employment Act, again in failing to take all practicable steps to ensure its worker’s safety.