Food manufacturer Heinz Wattie’s Limited has appeared in the Hastings District Court after a boiling solution burned a worker’s lower legs.

In May 2017, a vat used to manufacture brine solution for use in various food products at the company’s Hastings factory boiled over. While attempting to turn the machine off at a wall switch near the vat, boiling brine entered a worker’s gumboots, causing burns.

Our investigation found these vats had boiled over on several occasions in the past, resulting in burns to another worker on one occasion.