Queenstown cafe in mulled wine mix-up served a safety notice

The Queenstown cafe in which industrial cleaner was accidentally served up as mulled wine has been issued an improvement notice related to its workplace health and safety systems, the Department of Labour confirmed.

Department of Labour Service Manager John Pannett says businesses must take all practicable steps to keep people on their premises safe, including customers. He emphasised the importance of building stronger safety cultures within workplaces so that people “think safe” – both for workers and customers

Mr Pannett says an investigation into the incident at the Old Man Rock Cafe revealed that a container of industrial cleaner had been mistaken for mulled wine, and when tasted by customers resulted in one suffering burns to the oesophagus and stomach, though no permanent injuries were caused.

He says the cafe did have a system to keep its food products in a separate room from cleaning products, but in this instance the mistaken container of cleaner was taken from an access way prior to being placed in the correct store room.

The mix-up was exacerbated because the industrial cleaner was delivered in a re-used container that had previously housed mulled wine, and the cleaner was a similar colour to the wine. Part of the Department of Labour investigation focused on Queenstown Cleaning Supplies Limited – the firm which supplied the cleaner.

“An improvement notice has been issued to Chicos Restaurant Limited, the owners of the Old Man Rock Café, requiring them to improve their health and safety systems and a follow-up visit is planned to ensure the improvements have been made,” says Mr Pannett.

“In addition an improvement notice has been issued to Queenstown Cleaning Supplies Limited requiring them to remove all previous labels from containers that they intend to distribute cleaning chemicals in.”

The Department will not be taking further action against either party. However, Mr Pannett says the New Zealand Food Safety Authority is investigating the event and the Department of Labour have shared the results of their investigation with the Authority.

ENDS