A Wellington transport company has been ordered to pay $50,000 after a 2.5 tonne concrete panel crushed a contractor.
The self-employed man broke his right shoulder, both legs and ankles and suffered cuts on his face and head when the panel fell on him in Porirua, in March last year.
Rough Terrain Transport Ltd was fined $30,000 and ordered to pay the man $20,000 reparation in the Porirua District Court.
A man employed by the company had been asked to transport two panels with the contractor using a process he had not done before, Department of Labour southern general manager Jean Martin said.
While one panel was connected to a crane the other was left unsecured and it fell on the man.
"Our investigation found that Rough Terrain Transport Ltd failed to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of the self-employed contractor," Ms Martin said.
The company, which had been contracted to move the panels, did not adequately know what the job entailed or have an understanding of their employee's knowledge and experience, she said.
"The simple act of supervision could have helped prevent this accident."
NZN