Charges laid following two fatal incidents on ports in April 2022

After two complex investigations, Maritime NZ has this month filed charges in relation to two fatal incidents at ports last April.

Investigations started last April after the deaths of Atiroa Tuaiti at the Ports of Auckland on 19 April, 2022 and Donald Grant at the Port of Lyttelton on 25 April of that year.

In relation to the death of Mr Tuaiti, Maritime NZ has filed one charge against Wallace Investments (the stevedoring company). It is facing a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA). Mr Tuaiti died after being crushed under a container while working on a docked container ship.

Maritime NZ has filed two HSWA charges against Lyttelton Port Company in relation to the death of Donald Grant on 25 April 2022. Mr Grant died after he was struck by coal which was being loaded into a hatch of a vessel.

Maritime NZ Director Kirstie Hewlett says on behalf of Maritime NZ, I want to offer our sincere condolences to the families of both Mr Tuaiti and Mr Grant.

"Everyone deserves to go home safely from work each day."

"In addition to our prosecutions, as a response to these tragic deaths, the Minister of Transport, Hon Michael Wood, requested that the Port Health and Safety Leadership Group provide him with advice on a collective set of actions, including regulatory standards, to address harm on New Zealand ports. This resulted in the development of the Ports Sector Insights Picture and Action Plan."

"The work the leadership group has undertaken demonstrates port safety is a priority in New Zealand."

"Since the Action Plan was developed, a range of actions are well underway to improve port safety," she says.

Notes to editors:

As the two matters are now before the courts, we are unable to discuss them further until proceedings are complete.

The charges were filed under Section 48 of the HSWA. It carries a maximum penalty of a $1.5 million fine.

More information on the Ports Sector Insights Picture and Action Plan can be found here.