Two companies have been fined a total of $85,000 after a worker was electrocuted while installing an iron roof over a stock yard in the Wairarapa.
Blair Walker, operations manager for Gray Bros Contracting Ltd, died on April 12, 2006, after he walked into a power line whileworking on a roof.
Gray Bros, a contracting business specialising in building removals, pleaded guilty to one charge under Section 6 of the Health and Safety in Employment Act. And Atea Ltd, which runs the Masterton farm where the incident took place on behalf of the Windamere Trust, pleaded guilty to one charged under Section 18 of the Act.
In Masterton District Court yesterday Gray Bros and Atea were each fined $10,000 and ordered to pay reparations of $25,000 and $40,000 respectively.
The judge noted that Gray Bros had already paid $15,000 to the victim's family.
Gray Bros ignored the potential danger of the power line and thus allowed their employees to work in extremely hazardous conditions, said Alan Cooper, a Labour Department services manager.
