WorkSafe – be extra careful with old equipment

WorkSafe New Zealand has issued a warning to anyone using old equipment after a Rotorua teenager was the victim of a life-changing incident

Businesses using older or modified equipment must pay extra attention to ensure it is fit for purpose and compliant, said WorkSafe, after an incident left a 17-year-old boy with a broken eye socket, broken nose, several smashed or lost teeth, and skull fractures. He also required facial reconstruction surgery, with more to come, as well as over 100 stitches in his face.

Harrison Gilbert was working at Lakeland Steel in Rotorua when he was struck in the face by an untethered 412kg steel beam being manoeuvred by a mobile crane on the day of his 17^th birthday.

Gilbert was acting as a ‘spotter’ for the crane driver, who was bringing steel into a yard. He was also guiding the steel beam, which did not have tag lines to stop it swinging.

As Gilbert was walking backwards, guiding the crane, he tripped and fell before being struck in the face. A victim impact statement, read to the court, said his face was “smashed like a crushed tomato” and his father Shane thought he was dead when he saw him.

Modified and unmaintained

A WorkSafe investigation found the mobile crane had no certificate of inspection, no load safety devices fitted and unclear labelling on its controls – plus it should have had a tag line or tether to steady it.

“The crane appears to have originally been a log skidder bought in the 1970s by the previous owner of Lakeland Steel. At some point in time, it was modified into a crane, which was inherited by the current owners, who did not maintain it,” said WorkSafe.

Gilbert had not been trained in any of the activities associated with the crane and was dividing his attention between the load and working with the crane operator.

“This young worker was traumatically let down through no fault of his own. Simply put, the crane should not have been operational,” says WorkSafe’s area investigation manager, Paul West.

“Businesses must manage their risks. This includes regularly checking all their equipment to check it’s fit for purpose and compliant. Pay extra attention to modified or older equipment, so it doesn’t get neglected while still operational.”

The Crane Association (CA) says the incident highlights the importance of ensuring freely suspended crane loads are controlled by a tag line or tether.

“In an industry full of risks, it’s important to understand all the elements that contribute to working safely. Businesses must train their staff in selecting and properly using tag lines, because you don’t want injuries like these on your conscience if things go wrong,” says CA Chief Executive Sarah Toase.

As a result of the incident, Lakeland Steel Limited was sentenced at Rotorua District Court on 20 February 2025 and ordered to pay reparations of $54,131 – plus a $234,000 fine.