AI technology with real-time hazard alerts has become central to a new safety commitment that WorkSafe New Zealand accepted from the household brand Ecostore.
This came after a worker suffered chemical burns to his eyes while making dishwasher powder in March 2023. The worker was injured while trying to shut off a pressurised hose that had come loose and was spraying hazardous liquid into the air at Ecostore’s factory in Pakuranga, Auckland.
WorkSafe found inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly eyewear, gaps in staff training for chemical handling, and a lack of emergency management.
In response to the incident, Ecostore has made a holistic cultural shift on health and safety worth over NZD 323,000. The company applied to WorkSafe for an enforceable undertaking, a binding commitment to improve health and safety.
This includes installing CCTV systems incorporating AI technology to identify situations or events that could indicate risks to workers’ health and safety, a new working platform for liquids manufacturing and other new controls to minimise workers’ exposure to risk and improve health outcomes and reparation to the victim.
EcoStore will also fund a pilot programme by Blind Low Vision NZ to educate and support businesses employing visually impaired staff. The programme will focus on workplace health and safety, inclusion, and well-being. It will also develop and deliver a webinar with the Employers and Manufacturers Association highlighting the incident and key learnings.
“Businesses must manage their risks, and chemical safety is non-negotiable. We are pleased to see Ecostore putting things right and being a change-maker in the manufacturing and distribution sector,” said WorkSafe’s regulatory support manager, Mark Horgan.
“Ecostore’s investment exceeds what even the courts may have ordered in penalties. This demonstrates a substantial commitment to health and safety, with benefits circled back to the community, workers, and industry.”
Manufacturing is one of New Zealand’s most dangerous sectors. WorkSafe will regularly monitor progress on the agreed-upon commitments and can resume prosecution of Ecostore if necessary.
“Safety is a cornerstone of Ecostore and we deeply regret the serious harm experienced on our site. We acknowledge the professional and personal impact such an experience has on an individual, as well as the wider team,” said Ecostore’s Group Chief Operating Officer, Tony Acland.
“As a New Zealand business, we are dedicated to maintaining our high standards of safety for all of New Zealand and are hopeful that sharing our health and safety learnings with other manufacturers will have a real impact on raising awareness and improving the culture in similar workplaces.”
