McConnell Dowell fined for safety breach

A construction company has been fined $115,000 for breaching safety regulations while working on Christchurch's $87 million ocean outfall project.  

McConnell Dowell pleaded guilty to two charges over an incident in January this year in which two of its staff were carried on a barge, contrary to safety rules, while it was being towed in Pegasus Bay.

It was not the first time the Auckland-based construction giant had pleaded guilty to charges over an incident involving the barge, Flexifloat.

McConnell Dowell general manager Roger McRae said from Auckland yesterday that staff had faced disciplinary action for disregarding standard operating procedures, and one had been dismissed.

On January 30, Maritime New Zealand inspector Bruce McLaren saw two people on the barge while it was being moved from New Brighton to Lyttelton.

They were later identified as McConnell Dowell employees Monds and Bruin Robartes.

Marty Robinson, for Maritime New Zealand, told Judge David Saunders yesterday that Monds admitted being on board, breaching standard operating procedures.

The skipper of the tugboat Waiomana, Lee McFetrish, a contractor for Bay Underwater, also admitted going aboard the Flexifloat during the January voyage. Robinson said that by having people on the barge, McConnell Dowell breached its obligation to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its employees.

Last October - on the same day a storm claimed the life of two workers from the ocean outfall's other major contractor, Heron Construction - the barge broke free of towing lines with 11 people on board.

The company told Maritime New Zealand the following month that the barge would not carry people during its normal operations.

McConnell Dowell has pleaded guilty to four charges arising from the October and January incidents - two of failing to ensure the safety of employees aboard Flexifloat, as well as failing to have a safe- ship management certificate and dangerous activity involving ships or maritime products.

- © Fairfax NZ News