Parakiore Multisport Facility (Part 1): O'Hagan Backs Contractor's Health and Safety Record
In Part 1, The Wigram focuses on Crown agency Rau Paenga's approach to health and safety at the city work site. In Part 2: Rau Paenga CE John O'Hagan addresses claims the foundations have sunk.
Rau Paenga has backed the health and safety record of CPB Contractors at the building site for the city’s multisport facility, Parakiore. This comes despite Rau Paenga’s disclosure of 155 incidents and WorkSafe detailing 50 incidents across the country since 2018.
“Given the scale and duration of the Parakiore project, we are satisfied with the commitment all parties have shown to ensure the safety of workers on site,” responded Rau Paenga Chief Executive, John O’Hagan.
“Keeping people safe is our absolute priority and a core value for CPB Contractors.”
Source: CPB Contractors/CIMIC Group
In late-October, the Crown delivery entity (formerly known as Otakaro Limited) successfully enforced its contract with CPB in the High Court. Leading up to the court’s decision, Rau Paenga disclosed that 155 health and safety incidents had happened at Parakiore. WorkSafe supplied a detailed list of 22 health and safety incidents for Christchurch dating back to 2018 (see in quotes).
2021
WorkSafe recorded 5 incidents.
In April, WorkSafe was told “There is a crane lifting big insulation panels 8 metres long, no restricted area Going across a walkway Alot of noise from waterblasting concrete. In main building and down 2 flights of stairs.”
Days later, it observed “Reports staff working in edge of wall outside of safety barrier, approx 2m to ground level, standing on scaffold and climbing over scaffold and jumping down from wall to ground.”
In July, a worker fell. The explanation given was “no handrail installed.” The worker wasn’t injured.
Source: WorkSafe
Rau Paenga refused to release the incident reports, claiming the need to “maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions” and that the “Release of the information would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar information, or information from the same source, and it is in the public interest that such information should continue to be supplied”.
The Wigram has challenged this decision through the Ombudsman’s office. But Worksafe was more forthcoming, providing a detailed list of notifications.
2022
In February, a “Member of Public reporting unsafe working conditions at Metro Sports Facility work site. Saw someone working at height on the roofing structure, walking across a beam and they did not appear to have a harness on.”
In March, Worksafe was told of “Stacking scaffolding, piece has fell approximate 4m. Person below approximately 6 meters away. No personnel injury or property damage.”
And in September, it learned that a “Boiler cover plate dislodged causing it to drop to the floor. No workers were in the building when this incident happened.”
2023 (until 14 September)
WorkSafe recorded just one incident, noting “Metro Sports Facility. Beam dislodged by worker on platform of Dive Tower. Fell 8 meters to ground. No workers in area.”
Source: WorkSafe
Responding to questions about CPB’s record and the decision to enforce the contract for Parakiore, John O’Hagan wrote:
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