The death of an arborist caught on a stump grinder is a stark reminder not to underestimate machinery, a coroner says.
By Felix Walton of RNZ
Groundsperson Kevin Barry, 69, had been contracted to remove two tree stumps on a grass berm in Whangārei on April 15, 2025, but was later found laying on the ground by a member of the public with critical head injuries.
He was taken to Whangārei Hospital but his injuries were unsurvivable.
A post-mortem examination found he had suffered severe lacerations to his brain.
Barry's death was investigated by WorkSafe, which determined his sleeve had been caught on the stump grinder, pulling him towards the blade.
Coroner Ian Telford summarised the likely sequence of events.
"After the stump grinding was completed, Mr Barry raised the cutting arm so that the cutter wheel was clear of the ground and the surrounding wood chips," he wrote.
"Contrary to the required operating procedure, the cutter wheel was not disengaged after the stump removal had been completed. It instead remained spinning."
Telford said the grinder was moved at an angle facing the edge of the footpath towards Barry's car.
"For reasons unknown, possibly while attempting to pass between the stump grinder and the parked vehicle, Mr Barry approached the area of the spinning cutter wheel," he continued.
"This placed Mr Barry within the danger zone and resulted in the spinning cutter wheel catching the right arm of Mr Barry's long-sleeve top and pulling him into the cutter wheel at such a speed that he was unable to activate the emergency stop on the remote-control unit before being incapacitated."
The director of the company Barry worked for told police he was "a very good operator, careful, and safety conscious", and the coroner noted that Barry was wearing appropriate PPE, had been thoroughly trained and knew the machine well.
WorkSafe's investigation found no health and safety breaches.
"I am satisfied that Mr Barry was acutely aware of these hazards and was a careful and safety-conscious operator who was regarded as highly competent," Telford wrote.
"Nevertheless, this tragic accident is a reminder that, even in the hands of skilled operators, the risks associated with this machinery remain significant and ever-present."
He said the accident should serve as a stark reminder to others in the sector.
"The need for constant vigilance when working around exposed moving parts may seem obvious, but this accident is a stark reminder that the dangers posed by these machines must never be underestimated," he said.
"I therefore take this opportunity to remind all operators of stump grinders and similar machinery of the importance of maintaining safe exclusion zones and ensuring that no person enters the operating area while machinery is operating or capable of movement."
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