Families demand stronger safety laws after timber yard worker death
The death of Ethyn McTier at a Timaru timber yard has intensified criticism of New Zealand's recent workplace safety law changes.
Ethyn McTier died after being crushed by an unguarded conveyor belt at Point Lumber, a small timber yard in Timaru, despite prior safety advice recommending a guard. His family alleges the company and regulator failed to act on earlier warnings, including a fatal incident involving a child in 2016. The coalition government has introduced amendments that reduce red tape for businesses with fewer than 20 employees, prompting concerns that worker safety will suffer.
Winston Peters and the Council of Trade Unions say the changes create a weaker, two-tier regime. Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden argues the reforms simply focus on the most serious risks and have been misinterpreted. Various industry groups have also voiced opposition, fearing the new rules prioritize cost over lives.
Why it matters
It highlights how regulatory changes may affect worker safety and the lives of families after a preventable death.
In this story
