Canterbury cutting company fined after worker cuts off three fingers

The concrete cutting company was fined and had to pay reparations.
The concrete cutting company was fined and had to pay reparations. Photo credit: Getty

A Canterbury business has been ordered to pay a fine of nearly $230,000 after one of its employees cut off three fingers.

Canterbury Concrete Cutting NZ Ltd was prosecuted by WorkSafe for failing to manage risk and identify safe work methods.

The employee's fingers were unable to be reattached.

"Their employee was cutting alone in a manhole when he slipped in ankle-deep water and the blade kicked-out, amputating three fingers on his right hand," WorkSafe chief inspector Steve Kelly says.

"Preventing workers from sustaining serious injury relies on making a risk assessment and ensuring there are appropriate safety control and emergency procedures in place.

"The circumstances of this injury were absolutely preventable and any employer carrying out work in this kind of environment should be well aware of the risks."

Canterbury Concrete Cutting was ordered to pay a fine of $229,921 and $23,400 in reparations.