Judge's ruling pleases family of dead driver

The family of a Northland man killed in a logging yard accident say they are pleased he has not been portrayed as a "clumsy bozo".

Robert Grahame Summerfield, 52, from Awanui north of Kaitaia, died last June when a truck moving logs around a yard collided with him as he was moving away from his own parked truck.

The Department of Labour took the log yard's management, P&J Mathews Investments Ltd, to court.

The company had pleaded guilty to failing to take all practicable steps to ensure an employee was not exposed to hazards at work.

In Kaitaia District Court this week, Judge Heather Simpson fined the company $30,000 and ordered it to pay $40,000 to Mr Summerfield's family.

Peter Berghan -- the driver of the truck that hit Mr Summerfield -- was fined $2500 and ordered to pay $5000 to his family.

The family was pleased the court process had led to accountability for his death, but said it would not bring him back.

"We didn't want Rob to be portrayed as a clumsy bozo who walked in the way," said his brother, Jim Summerfield.

Ian Baxter, from Occupational Safety and Health Northland, described Mr Summerfield's death as a "tragedy that should not have happened".

Mr Baxter said the accident occurred partly because two processes -- moving logs from the truck as well as from a stockpile -- were taking place at the same time.

The standard practice of not operating loaders until the driver was in a safe place had not been followed.

The yard reviewed its yard safety procedures with Occupational Safety and Health and now follows the correct guidelines, Mr Baxter said.

- NZPA