Sealord Neglects Responsibility for Staff Exposed to Asbestos In New Zealand

A hefty bill has been sent to a major fishing company after it exposed its staff to asbestos. Sealord, one of the largest fishing companies in the Southern Hemisphere, was ordered to pay two victims $3000 each in reparation, fined $257,250, and ordered to pay $28,987 in costs to Maritime NZ, in the Nelson District Court on Tuesday.


asbestos



Maritime NZ had investigated after asbestos was found on board the Will Watch, a Cook Islands-flagged ship owned by Sealord’s overseas subsidiary United Fame Investments. Aotearoa-based employees were seconded to work on the ship in Mauritius.

Maritime NZ’s general manager investigations Pete Dwen said the workers were still subject to the terms and conditions of their employment agreement with Sealord, which made Sealord responsible for the safety of its workers.

Senior staff members of Sealord had monitored the vessel’s health and safety operations and gave input on operating procedures, which should have identified the issues with the asbestos.

However, when Maritime NZ raised the asbestos issues with Sealord, it initially stated it “did not believe it posed a risk”.

Sealord’s chief executive Doug Paulin said the company thought absestos had been removed from the ship in 1986, which was why no risk assessment for the ship had been carried out.

The Will Watch was docked in Nelson in December 2021 where the company did an investigation and resolved the issues onboard.

An occupational medicine specialist said the exposure levels were low, and air sampling before and after remediation took place was negative.

“It was an honest mistake,” Paulin said.

“We’re pleased the evidence shows there is low risk to the harm of anyone’s health and remediation of the vessel has now taken place.”Dwen commended Sealord for pleading guilty before a trial took place. 


Sealord Neglects Responsibility for Staff Exposed to Asbestos In
New Zealand


“Sealord failed in its responsibility to keep its workers safe,” Dwen said. “There should have been better consultation between Sealord and United Fame Investments ... about the risks the asbestos posed to the workers.

“Sealord should also have done more to identify the risks or hazards the exposure to asbestos fibres on-board presented to its workers.”

Operators had a duty to eliminate or minimise exposure to airborne asbestos in the workplace, according to Maritime NZ guidelines.

“Understanding the risks on-board a vessel is important for operators. Everyone deserves to be safe at work, and be protected against risks such as asbestos,” Dwen said.

“Employers need to know the safety of staff is their responsibility, even if the workers are sent elsewhere and are not directly under their supervision.”

Sealord was fined $24,000 in 2020 and ordered to forfeit a US$16 million ship after it illegally deep-sea trawled in a protected zone off the east coast of Aotearoa.

It employed more than 1000 people in Aotearoa and 240 overseas, and its vessels engaged in deep-sea and finfish aquaculture fishing.


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