Fatal fall from deck on Waiheke Island prompts coroner call for change

By RNZ

Violet Watson, 78, died a week after falling from a deck during a weekend getaway on Waiheke Island last year.

He had been spending time with two friends in the living room of a vacation home, before deciding to go out for a cigarette late at night.

Shortly after, her friends heard a noise, before finding her about 2 meters away, lying on her side.

She was airlifted to Auckland Hospital, where she later died.

When built, the platform was assessed to have a drop distance of approximately one meter, which included a lawn leading down to a retaining wall.

This means that it was not necessary to have a protective barrier or railing in front. However, it had railings on the sides.

However, the fall distance did not take into account a second sloping section of turf, below the retaining wall.

This is where Watson was found with extensive injuries, including several fractured ribs, a broken leg, and a broken shoulder blade.

In an investigation, coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale said death could have been prevented if the total fall distance had been taken into account, which would have required a protective barrier.

“When considering the possibility of making technical improvements in the safety of the provisions of the F4 standard, the executive director of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment must actively consider whether a ‘total fall’ measurement approach should be expressly prescribed in the standard. “

In response, MBIE said it was considering a number of improvements to the provisions and would include the Borrowdale Coroner’s recommendations in the review.