Man killed in workplace incident named as Falaniko Ah Lin

The investigation will include how the worker came into contact with the line, which is known as the "Awatoto tie". Photo / File

Police have named 57-year-old Falaniko Ah Lin as the man who died following a workplace incident at a rural property in Meeanee, Napier on Thursday 17 October.

He died after coming in contact with a 33kV overhead electricity supply line on an orchard.

The incident was reported just after 4pm on Thursday at a property off Brookfields Rd, Meeanee, but it did not happen at Brookfields Winery.

Electricity supplier Unison confirmed through relationships manager Danny Gough the deceased was not a Unison staff member, and Hawke's Bay Today has been told it was an orchard worker.

WorkSafe's investigation will include how the worker came into contact with the line, which Gough said is known as the Awatoto tie. It extends from the eastern end of Brookfields Rd to a substation on Waitangi Rd, Awatoto.

Stressing Unison's condolences and sympathies for family of the deceased, Gough said the company would provide all relevant information to the investigations.

The company sent crews to the site immediately after being advised of the incident and "de-energised" supply in the area, which had momentary disruption to about 600 customers, and longer disruption for a small number in the immediate area.

Brookfields Rd is a route of mainly horticultural and lifestyle blocks, extending from Pakowhai Rd to the intersection with Awatoto, Sandy and Meeanee roads at Meeanee, near Napier. Several orchards in the area currently have signage warning of spraying in progress.

Currently 46 workplace fatalities nationwide this year are under WorkSafe investigation, of which 16 were in January and February — about a third up on the average of 6.1 a month since 2016. There were 63 last year and 76 in 2017.