Others include a pedestrian injured when a Chorus hatch cover gave way, and a crane’s hook and cable coming off the sheaves, or pulley wheels.
The council recorded 940 accidents, incidents that caused injury or damage, near-misses and hazardous situations in the past financial year.
This was similar to the previous year’s 936.
Of the 643 "events" from the 2023-24 year that applied to council employees and contractors, 146 related to aquatic services, 96 were from three waters plant operations, 43 came from Dunedin Public Libraries and 42 were from road maintenance.
The information was contained within a briefing for the city council’s audit and risk subcommittee, which meets today.
Health and safety incidents of note in May included contractors approaching a person "on a public field", who then produced a weapon.
Asked by the Otago Daily Times for more information, a council spokesman said this involved a person collecting golf balls at a golf course while carrying a large stick, who then had a verbal exchange with contractors.
The council said the contractors "calmed the situation down" and reported it to police.
Also in May, a vehicle drove through a road closure and an inspection of aquatic facilities by Fire and Emergency NZ found two smoke detectors with no sensors attached.
Among the list of overdue investigations under way for employees and contractors was "full chlorine cylinder fell on top of worker" on February 26.
The council spokesman yesterday described this as a staff member’s foot becoming stuck while manoeuvring a cylinder on a trailer.
They suffered minor bruises and the council was exploring options for a mechanical solution, he said.
Other overdue investigations were for two disruptions at South Dunedin Future public meetings in September and October last year and a power cable being struck by a digger bucket in April last year.
The chemical splash into the worker’s eye arose from a hose or connection failing at the Green Island wastewater treatment plant.
The person’s eye was rinsed and they were taken to hospital before being released.
Providing a fit-for-purpose dosing system was one action brought in after the incident.
The failure of the Chorus hatch cover led to a replacement centre support bar being installed.
The crane hook and cable coming off the sheaves happened while the machine was in use.
