The Department of Labour is calling on the construction industry to review its safety procedures after three prosecutions this month for deaths caused by collapsed trenches.
In the latest case, Hamilton company Callum Molloy Ltd has been fined $30,000 for its part in the death of Keith Hancox and ordered to give his family $80,000.
Mr Hancox suffered fatal injuries in February when a trench wall collapsed on him.
The Department of Labour says the company failed to take measures to ensure it was safe to dig a trench and to provide protection for workers if it collapsed.
Department of Labour chief safety advisor David Tregoweth says it is not unusual for companies to ignore safety rules for trenches.
