Shady Farming Limited fined after worker loses arm to unguarded machinery

Shady Farming Limited has been fined $60,000 and ordered to pay approximately $96,000 in reparations after a worker lost an arm in a January 2025 incident at a Wairarapa dairy farm. The injury occurred when the worker’s clothing became entangled in an unguarded power take-off (PTO) shaft on a tractor connected to a feed mixer.

WorkSafe New Zealand’s investigation revealed that while the farm’s risk register and safety management system required PTO shafts to be guarded at all times, the machinery was being operated without any guarding in place. Additionally, the company failed to effectively monitor its pre-start and maintenance processes, which should have ensured guards were present and in good condition.

Nigel Formosa, WorkSafe’s central region manager, emphasized that guards serve as the “last line of defence” and noted that having safety rules on paper is insufficient without systems to ensure they are actively followed.