WorkSafe New Zealand is requesting an urgent meeting with Lyttelton Port's management after the third workplace death in one year.
The agency requested the meeting after Brad Fletcher, a 40-year-old father of three, died when a scissor lift he was working on toppled over yesterday.
WorkSafe acting chief executive Brett Murray will meet with Lyttelton Port senior management on Tuesday to discuss health and safety concerns.
The death is particularly worrying, given WorkSafe has been working with the port to improve conditions, Mr Murray said. It has issued the port with five improvement notices, six prohibition notices and four written warnings.
Listen to Peter Davie
Lyttelton Port chief executive Peter Davie said his company is very concerned and that the safety of employees is constantly improving. "We don't want people being injured in the port and our job is to continue to improve what we do to eliminate harm to employees."
Mr Davie said the port's senior management will be at the meeting.
Meanwhile, friend of Brad Fletcher said his death was an immense loss to the community. Lyttelton Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Mark Buckley said Mr Fletcher had recently completed 23 years of service for the brigade.
"He was a highly respected memeber of the community aswell, with having a lot of ascosiations with the likes of the rugby club."