Trespassing teens have recently shed an unexpected light on crane safety in New Zealand’s booming construction sector. In early 2025, a 16-year-old scaled a crane at the Seascape construction site in downtown Auckland, filming themselves more than 220 metres above the ground without any harness or safety gear. Seascape, still under development, is set to become Auckland’s tallest residential building. The teen shared multiple videos on social media, including footage of themselves dangling one-handed from the crane boom and navigating narrow beams at dangerous heights. According to their captions, they had climbed the crane 27 times without being detected.
The videos quickly gained traction online, drawing both concern and fascination, but also triggering alarm from the construction industry, law enforcement, and health and safety officials. The stunt has renewed scrutiny of urban construction site security, especially in central business districts, where cranes are increasingly visible and accessible. Authorities have reminded the public that such acts are illegal, extremely dangerous, and could result in tragedy or trigger criminal charges.
Almost half of all acute work-related fatalities in New Zealand are linked to incidents involving vehicles and mobile plant. The construction industry continues to experience high rates of fatal and serious injuries involving mobile plant, including incidents with excavators, cranes, and trucks. Many injuries occur during activities such as lifting, earthmoving, or transporting materials, often due to poor traffic management or inadequate exclusion zones.
Recent case studies highlight the consequences of safety failures. In 2024, the Port of Auckland’s former CEO was convicted after a fatal container accident exposed critical safety lapses. Nationally, WorkSafe recorded 70 workplace fatalities across 2024, with a considerable proportion linked to incidents involving vehicles, mobile plant, and machinery.
Working with or near mobile plant and equipment carries significant safety risks, but they are far from unavoidable. To start, businesses must conduct thorough risk assessments, establish safe work
procedures, and ensure that all workers are properly trained and supervised. WorkSafe stresses the need to eliminate hazards wherever possible, or otherwise control them through engineering solutions like guards and interlocks. Administrative measures, such as clear procedures and vigilant supervision, improve site safety, but it takes a village.
For businesses that rely on mobile machinery and equipment, plant and equipment insurance is a vital safeguard against financial loss. The construction, earthmoving, mining, and roading industries should protect themselves against loss, damage, theft, fire, breakdown, and legal liability associated with the use and operation of plant and equipment, whether owned, leased, or hired.
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