Zespri and WorkSafe reach deal over quad bike death

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Kiwifruit giant Zespri and the work safety watchdog have reached a deal over a quad bike death at a Tauranga orchard.

WorkSafe says it's accepted an "enforceable undertaking" from Zespri International after alleging the company failed to ensure the safety of 59-year-old orchard worker Yvonne Rogers in the May, 2016 crash at Athenree.

Under the agreement, Zespri has committed to reviews of contractors who contract directly with Zespri for orchard services, starting new health and safety campaigns, sponsoring the Horticultural Health and Safety Forum, and establishing a health and safety studies tertiary scholarship.

"An enforceable undertaking is not usually an accepted alternative to prosecution where an alleged contravention has resulted in a fatality," WorkSafe's Simon Humphries said.

"In this case, the failures alleged of Zespri were not directly causative of the worker's death." Zespri chief operating officer Simon Limmer said there were overlapping duties between orchard owners, contractors and post-harvest companies over health and safety.

"As an industry, we need to work collaboratively to improve safety," he said.

The agreement is the fourth enforceable undertaking accepted by WorkSafe. The organisation has used the deals since 2015 as an alternative to prosecution.

Three other parties had also been charged over the incident, WorkSafe said.

Ms Rogers, a Katikati resident, was found trapped underneath a quad bike hours after being reported missing on May 13 last year.