Engineering firm fined after worker crushed in machinery incident

An engineering firm in Ōtorohanga has been fined and ordered to pay reparations following the death of a worker who was crushed while moving heavy machinery at its workshop.

According to a report by 1News, Peter Gray Engineering was sentenced in the Te Kuiti District Court on February 19, 2026, over health and safety failures linked to the death of 31-year-old Mitchell Pool. Judge Matenga ordered the company to pay reparations of $140,000.04 and imposed a fine of $9000.

Pool died in December 2023 while assisting with moving a press brake weighing nearly two tonnes into the company’s workshop. During the process, the machine became unstable and fell, fatally crushing him, 1News has reported.

According to WorkSafe NZ, the work area had not been properly prepared, preventing the use of a forklift to move the equipment. Instead, workers relied on moving skates, a stacker, and a farm jack.

During the operation, one of the skates became caught in a crack in the concrete floor, causing the press brake to topple.

WorkSafe’s investigation found multiple safety failures, including poor planning, the absence of a task-specific risk assessment, unclear load limits, unsuitable equipment, and exposure of workers to serious crush hazards.

According to 1News, the agency said the incident reflects a common issue in smaller workplaces, where non-routine tasks are often undertaken without sufficient planning or appropriate safety measures.

"Small businesses often rely on experience and problem-solving on the job. But when heavy machinery is involved, improvising can have fatal consequences," said WorkSafe central regional manager Nigel Formosa, as quoted by 1News.

"Experience does not replace planning. Even skilled workers can be put at serious risk if the job hasn't been properly thought through."

Formosa said the case provides important lessons for businesses.

"This case shows why small businesses need to treat non routine work as high risk," he said, 1News has quoted.

"Know the load, use equipment that's fit for purpose, set the job up so safer methods can be used, stop and reassess when things change, and keep people well clear of crush zones," as quoted by 1News.