Mill worker injured after stepping onto saw machine

Investigations are underway to find out how a sawmill worker was injured after he stepped onto a saw machine.

Russell Black site manager at Tachikawa Forest Products in Rotorua said it appeared an employee climbed onto a moving part which feeds wood into the saw - leaving him with injuries to his leg and foot.

The man was treated by St John Ambulance and is in Rotorua Hospital.

The accident at the Vaughan Rd site happened about 7.30am on Saturday. The company had not yet talked to the victim but understood someone witnessed the incident and turned the machine off.

The victim was operating the equipment and Mr Black said it appeared he may have been taking a shortcut by climbing over it.

It was not an area someone could accidentally walk in front of, he said.

Mr Black said there would have been 80 or 90 people on site at the time of the accident.

An external audit of safety systems was carried out at the mill about a month ago and indications showed the safety systems were up to scratch, Mr Black said. Both Tachikawa and Department of Labour were carrying out investigations.

Mr Black said the Department of Labour had released the machine for use today.

He said the internal investigation was expected to take a few weeks.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)