Shredder victim's employer to be charged over incident

Chris Fromont

The company which employed a Taranaki man who lost both legs and an arm after becoming caught in an industrial shredder is to face court charges.

The Department of Labour said yesterday it would prosecute Manawatu Waste after Chris Fromont, 48, was dragged into an industrial tree-shredder in February.

Manawatu Waste has been served with a summons to appear in New Plymouth District Court on August 10.

The department has charged that the company breached Section 6 of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, failing to take all practicable steps to protect its employee.

The maximum fine for this type of offence is $250,000.

The department's acting health and safety service manager for Taranaki, Martin Churchman, said because the matter was now before the courts, it was not able to comment further.

Mr Fromont also said he could not comment.

Mr Fromont has had numerous operations since the February 22 accident, which required emergency services to work for an hour to free him from the shredder at a New Plymouth refuse transfer station.

He said yesterday that he and his wife Anne had shifted to a new, user-friendly house closer to Taranaki Base Hospital and he now had use of a motorised wheelchair.

He had also had one artificial limb fitted.

"They've given me an arm, the legs will be a bit further down the track," Mr Fromont said.

- NZPA