Documents reveal petrol station hazards for staff, public

File photo / Greg Bowker

Six investigations have been launched into injuries at petrol stations in the last two and-a-half years but less than half involve staff, according to documents from the Department of Labour.

The injuries to petrol station employees included a fractured wrist after falling from a step ladder and a fractured right foot when an employee was run over on the forecourt.

The other four injuries were to members of the public after slipping on wet surfaces.

All six investigations carried out by the Department of Labour between January, 2008 and April this year found no breach of the Health and Safety in Employment (HSE) Act.

The information was contained in an Official Information Act Request by nzherald.co.nz after the issue of poor service at petrol stations was raised earlier this month.

Aucklander Calvyn Jonker contacted the Herald after being "appalled" by the attitude of staff at one BP station, who refused to check the water level of a woman's car in case they were burned.

BP defended the lack of service. Company spokeswoman Diana Stretch said checking water levels was a no-go zone for service station staff - along with checking tyre pressure.

"OSH regulations state that we are required to do an assessment of hazards and take steps to mitigate those hazards.

"In those assessments BP has identified that checking of water in radiators, changing tyres and filling tyres with air are all potential hazards to our staff," she told the Herald at the time.

Information from ACC shows there were 435 injuries to "petroleum fuel retailing staff" between January 1, 2008 and May this year.

Spokesman Fiona Robinson said these numbers cover all employees from petrol pump operators to baristas and mechanics who work in a petrol station.

The injuries include 19 fractures or dislocations and 15 burns but strains and sprains were the most common with 321 cases recorded.

There were 348 claimants who claimed a total of $682,576 from ACC. However, this money does not include costs of transporting the injured people to hospital by ambulance or their hospital care.