Mining company Oceana Gold has been sentenced, after the death of a worker in July 2016. They appeared in Tauranga District Court for sentencing in March and a decision was released yesterday.

The worker had been driving an earthmoving machine underground when it fell 15 metres off a vertical edge.

Our investigation found that Oceana Gold had failed to develop and implement a safe system of work for the creation of 1.5 metre high bunds above vertical slopes.

Oceana Gold had identified the risk and the solution of bunds to reduce the risk of a vehicle falling into a void. However, they had not effectively mitigated the risks involved in implementing that solution.

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