Wealleans Groundspread Limited, a Waikato fertiliser spreading company, has been fined and is ordered to pay reparation after a company died in a truck accident in June 2013.

Wealleans Groundspread Limited has admitted that it failed to take all steps to ensure the safety of Tyler Old, who was just 18 years old. The company has been fined $33750 and ordered to pay reparation of $70,000 in Morrinsville District Court. Worksafe New Zealand has said there was no witness of the accident but it is believed the workers climbed into the hopper on the back of the truck and then was trapped in the chain conveyor.

WorkSafe's chief investigator Keith Stewart  said, "The footholds and handholds on the side of the truck were inadequate to allow Mr Old to safely lean over the side wall of the hopper and push any fertiliser that was stuck down on to the chain conveyor."

The company's health and safety handbook said that employees should never climb into the hopper when the chain is operational however, there were no noted sings on the truck for the instruction.