The 2008 fatal explosion and fire at Icepak Coolstores, a refrigerated storage facility in Tamahere, near Hamilton, was one of the worst industrial incidents in the country. The accidental ignition of highly flammable propane gas used as a refrigerant in the coolstore's cooling system caused the propane to leak from the refrigeration pipes and build up inside the building.
Too often, we hear stories about a worker doing a job in the workplace, and an incident occurs. Tom was working at a job when he slipped off the ladder he was using to reach the indoor units on the wall. He strained his arm while trying to support himself on the way down but thought it wasn’t serious, so he carried on working.
Whether you’re staying in a hotel, working in an office block or shopping in your local mall, you probably don’t think too much about building safety. And if you do think about it – ‘I hope this lift doesn’t break down (while I’m in it), do the fire extinguishers work, why is there a strange smell coming from the ceiling vents’ – you dismiss the thought because, surely, it is safe.
