Drilling companies accused of cutting corners

The country's biggest union has accused drilling companies of putting workers' lives at risk by cutting corners to save money.

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturers' Union (EPMU) said there had been two serious accidents in Taranaki on NRG's Rover rig in the last year.

One worker broke his leg in two places and crushed his heel bone when a piece of machinery, with tonnes of pressure behind it, came down on his leg last October, the Taranaki Daily News reported.

A second worker fell five metres on the same rig in May last year.

Drilling companies were driven by profit and the government department responsible for regulating the industry did not have the resources to properly monitor the industry, the EPMU said.

EPMU organiser Ross Henderson said small companies were prepared to compromise on training to keep costs down and that would cost lives.

A Department of Labour investigation into October's accident cleared the company of fault but found none of the workers they interviewed had been through NRG's handling procedure for the task.

The department's general manager David Hulston said NRG had taken appropriate action after the accident, reviewed emergency procedures and developed a first aid training exercise drill for the crew.

The EPMU said it may bring a private prosecution against the company.

NRG officials were not available for comment.

- NZPA