WorkSafe New Zealand, the country’s workplace health and safety regulator, announced on Monday that it has indicted 10 organizations and three individuals, alleging they did not do what is reasonably practicable to ensure the health and safety of workers and visitors to White Island.
Each of these organizations is fined a maximum of 1.5 million New Zealand dollars (1.1 million), while individuals are fined a maximum of 300,000 New Zealand dollars (1 211,000).
“This was an unforeseen event, but that doesn’t mean it was unpredictable and operators have a duty to protect those who care for them,” said Phil Park, chief executive of Worksafe.
“It’s an expectation that goes to the heart of our health and safety culture,” he said. “As a nation we need to pay attention to this tragedy and ask whether we are finishing at the end of each day to ensure our mothers, fathers, children and friends stay healthy and safe in our homes.”
The allegations follow an investigation that Park describes as “the most comprehensive and complex” in WorkSafe’s history. Worksafe said it did not investigate the victims’ rescue and recovery, meaning no costs were incurred after the blast.
Worksafe does not name the charged parties, as they may seek name suppression when the case is heard in the first court in December.
But some parties have confirmed that they are involved. GNS Science – a crown research institute that monitors volcanic activity – said in a statement that it was facing charges. “We stand with our people and our science – which we will continue to give for the benefit of NZ,” GNSA said.
“There is no easy process from here, but it is the job of WorkSafe to ensure that if questions are answered they play a role and lead to a charge on them.”
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