Fulton Hogan has been fined more than $38,000 after an employee fell into a riverbed while repairing a bridge on the West Coast.
The man fell about three metres while working on the Big Wainihinihi bridge on State Highway 73 between Greymouth and Christchurch in 2009. He broke his kneecap.
Fulton Hogan pleaded guilty at the Dunedin District Court to failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its employee.
In a reserved judgment issued on Friday by Judge S.J. O'Driscoll said the company should have put a system in place to prevent falls.
The Department of Labour says falls are one of the leading causes of death and serious harm in the workplace.
