KEY POINTS:
Pacific Island workers are being told to make safety their first consideration after a report showed a high number of work-related injuries among the group.
A progress report and a DVD dubbed Come Home Safely has been launched by Puataunofo Manukau in association with the Department of Labour, to promote better work practices among the Pasifika community.
Injury statistics shown in the report for the year July 2006 to June 2007 indicated there were three work-related accidents which resulted in death in the Manukau area.
Pacific Island people had the second-highest rate for workplace injuries at 19 entitlement claims per 1000 full-time equivalent, followed by Europeans at 15 per 1000 FTE, while Maori topped the injury claim list with 27 per 1000 FTEs.
Isaac Fruean, a construction foreman, is one of the men featured on the DVD. In 1999 his right arm was severed from the top of his shoulder after the sleeve of his jacket got caught while working with a rolling machine used to cement steel beams.
"I'm just so lucky. I lost a lot of blood and could have died. I just thank God I'm still able to work. I'm still here _ not like others who were not so lucky."
The DVD showed that failure to report work-related injuries because of the risk of being laid off work, as well as employers not taking appropriate action when notified of unsafe equipment by staff, was also a major issue needing to be addressed.
Hearing difficulties, not using proper equipment, wearing high-visual and protective clothing, as well as cultural misunderstandings were some of the reasons many Pacific Island workers failed to report injuries, guests were told.
Mr Fruean said watching the DVD brought a lot of bad memories but also acted as an important reminder and a lesson to be learned by others watching.
"To me, the video is good to show other people that an accident can happen _ it happened to me. Always think about safety first."
Mr Fruean's brother Dempsey Parker, who was working nearby at the time, saw his brother's bloodied severed arm on the other side of the machine and rushed to his aid.
Seeing something like that reiterated the importance of always being aware of safety protocols, Mr Parker said.
"If you need to know about the machine, ask. If you know something is unsafe then tell the boss. Don't just see that it is unsafe and carry on working."
