Fonterra Enhances Safety Measures at Edendale Plant Following Worker Incident

The General Manager for Edendale/Stirling operations, Andrew Johns, confirmed that a thorough health and safety investigation was conducted to understand the circumstances of the incident.

While details of the investigation findings were not disclosed, Johns emphasized the implementation of further safety measures aimed at ensuring the well-being of their personnel. The incident occurred during a routine operational task, where a worker sustained serious burns while working on a boiler in November of the previous year. The injured worker was subsequently airlifted to Christchurch Hospital in serious condition but has since recovered and returned to work.

WorkSafe New Zealand, the regulatory agency, acknowledged making inquiries into the incident but did not initiate a formal investigation. Fonterra took the initiative to conduct a comprehensive investigation independently, identifying causes and implementing corrective measures to the satisfaction of both the cooperative and regulatory authorities. The commitment to ongoing safety improvements reflects Fonterra's dedication to the welfare of its workforce and the continuous enhancement of operational safety standards.