Hauraki roofing and maintenance business Professional Trade Services NZ Limited (PTSNZ) has been ordered to pay over $16,000 after an untrained worker suffered serious spinal injuries from an on-site fall.
The worker fell approximately 7.1 metres through a clear roofing panel while on-site at the Hauraki District Council office in Paeroa on January 15, 2025, WorkSafe confirmed.
The worker sustained fractures to multiple vertebrae in his spine.
PTSNZ pleaded guilty to a resulting charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act, and was convicted in the Waihī District Court.
The business has been ordered to pay $15,000 in emotional harm reparation, and legal costs of $1505.87 plus court costs to WorkSafe.
Due to the company’s current liquidation status, it has not been ordered to pay a fine.
WorkSafe said its investigation found PTSNZ failed to adequately assess the risks associated with roof work, failed to ensure workers were suitably trained and competent to perform the work safely, and did not adequately identify or control the risk posed by the fragile roofing before work began.
“This incident demonstrates how quickly work at height can become extremely dangerous when critical safety controls are missing,” WorkSafe regional manager Nigel Formosa said.
“Businesses must ensure hazards are properly identified before workers access roofs, particularly where fragile roofing materials, skylights, or clear light panels are present. Clear roofing is not designed to support a person’s weight and should always be treated as a fall hazard.”
A central concern was that PTSNZ admitted the worker’s training had been deferred until after he completed his 90-day trial period, WorkSafe said, despite him carrying out work at height during that time.
The worker was employed as a labourer and was still within his trial period when the incident occurred. His training had also been delayed because no courses were available until after the Christmas and New Year shutdown period.
“Good health and safety starts before anyone sets foot on a roof. Effective risk assessment, worker training, site-specific planning, and robust fall protection measures are all essential.
“When those controls are absent, the consequences can be devastating.”
WorkSafe said its health and safety inspectors will be proactively visiting residential construction sites across the country over the next three months to see how the risk of falling from working at height is being managed.
