Sharemilker, farmer fined after motorbike crash at stock crossing

Sharemilkers put ropes across a 100km stretch of road to relocate 800 cows in the Maruia Valley. Photo / Alan Gibson

RNZ

WorkSafe says a motorbike rider is lucky to be alive after getting caught in bungy ropes strung across a public road on the West Coast.

Sharemilkers put the ropes across the 100km stretch of road to relocate 800 cows in the Maruia Valley in 2021.

A lack of signage meant the rider didn’t see the ropes until it was too late - he struck them, came off his bike, slid along the road and hit a fence post.

He was hospitalised with fractures to his right rib and a laceration to his right kidney.

The sharemilkers, Te Koru Wai Limited and farm owner Dairy Holdings Limited, were charged by WorkSafe for health and safety failures and have just been sentenced.

Te Koru Wai Limited was fined $220,000 and ordered to pay reparation of $13,200, while Dairy Holdings Limited was fined $211,700 and ordered to pay reparation of $8800.

In sentencing, Judge Jane Farish said this was an extremely obvious hazard and a simple method could have been implemented to avoid accidents, and the blocking of a public road should ring significant alarm bells.

WorkSafe’s national investigations manager Casey Broad said the rider’s injuries were incredibly serious and they were lucky to be alive.

“The businesses involved did not notify WorkSafe of the incident and left the victim himself to do so weeks later.

“In the direction the rider was travelling, there was no warning sign in place for the stock crossing.

“[New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi] guidance requires farmers to install a temporary warning sign at an adequate distance ahead of the crossing when more than 50 animals are being moved.”

Broad said stock crossings were commonplace in rural New Zealand, and the risks to motorists were well-known.

“Having signage up and farm workers present while cattle are crossing is the safest way to go.

“Working farms, like any other business, are responsible for ensuring work is safe - our role is to influence businesses to meet these responsibilities, and we hold them to account if they don’t.”

- RNZ