The Incident and the Response
A worker at Claymark’s timber processing operation lost two fingers in a machinery incident. The subsequent WorkSafe investigation found that the machine involved was not properly guarded, the company’s maintenance systems were inadequate, and the worker had not received sufficient training or supervision for the task they were performing. The combination of equipment failure, maintenance failure, and training failure is the pattern that characterises most serious manufacturing injuries — no single point of failure, but a convergence of gaps that the risk management system should have prevented.
Rather than proceeding to prosecution, WorkSafe entered into an enforceable undertaking (EU) with Claymark — a binding agreement committing the company to specific safety improvements with financial and legal consequences for non-compliance. The EU value is $481,000, directed toward a programme that goes well beyond the specific circumstances of the incident.
The AI Investment
The headline element of Claymark’s EU is the deployment of AI-powered CCTV systems that actively monitor workers’ surroundings and alert them to potential safety risks in real time. The system goes beyond conventional CCTV — which records events for post-incident review — to provide active, intelligent monitoring that can identify hazardous conditions or behaviours before they result in injury. The technology is being deployed across Claymark’s operations and will be offered for up to 15 trials at other businesses in the wood manufacturing sector, accelerating industry-wide adoption.
WorkSafe’s Head of Regulatory Services, Tracey Conlon, described the significance: “We’re excited to see Claymark lead the way with AI innovation, which could benefit the wider timber processing sector. Agreements like this are all about turning a negative event into an opportunity for positive change.”
The Broader Programme
Alongside the AI surveillance deployment, Claymark is implementing online interactive training modules customised for different factory roles, allowing workers to complete safety training at their own pace. Microlearning tools and interactive safety displays in break rooms provide ongoing reinforcement. The company is also collaborating with the Central North Island Wood Council and other industry groups to share safety learnings — building the collective knowledge base rather than treating the improvements as proprietary advantage.
Executive director Paul Pedersen committed to the programme’s intent: “This is about creating a workplace where our people feel informed, supported, and safe.” The injured worker, who has undergone three surgeries and faces permanent limitations, acknowledged the commitment in his statement: “I’m really grateful for Claymark’s commitment to improving workplace safety, especially the initiatives outlined in this agreement.” The $481,000 investment represents a genuine attempt to ensure that the circumstances that caused one worker’s injury are not repeated — at Claymark or across the wider sector.
