01/12/2025
đź“° Westport Tradie Under Fire for Not Holding Confined Space Permit to Use Site Porta Loo
WorkSafe warns “improper toileting protocols pose unacceptable systemic risk.”
WESTPORT — A Westport tradie is under investigation after allegedly entering a construction site porta loo without first holding a certified confined space permit, completing a dynamic risk assessment, or appointing a dedicated safety spotter.
The incident occurred mid-morning on a residential build when the man reportedly “urgently accessed” the portable toilet during smoko without following correct compliance procedures.
WorkSafe New Zealand confirmed it is assessing whether the tradie breached multiple layers of health and safety regulation by engaging in what it called “unauthorised containment exposure.”
WorkSafe spokesperson Eric Chinn said the situation was being taken “extremely seriously.”
“A porta loo is, by definition, an enclosed environment with potential atmospheric hazards,” Chinn said.
“You’ve got gases, confined dimensions, limited egress, and unpredictable splash-back variables. This is absolutely a permit-based operation.”
According to preliminary findings, the tradie failed to:
Complete a confined space entry form
Appoint an external lookout (“Loo Marshal”)
Test internal air quality
Conduct a pre-entry toolbox talk on wiping technique
Establish an emergency extraction plan
Instead, he allegedly “just went in and locked the door.”
Local resident Sue Ridge witnessed the event.
“He walked straight in like it was his own toilet at home,” she said. “No high-vis observer, no cone perimeter, no acknowledgment of hazard signage. I gasped.”
Greymouth tradie Tai Tarsoul described the behaviour as “reckless.”
“Back in my day, you had a bloke on the door, a bloke with the clipboard, and a third bloke emotionally supporting you through the process,” Tarsoul said.
“Now everyone just thinks they can wee freestyle.”
The accused tradie, who declined to be named but described the situation as “a bloody emergency,” said he believed common sense should apply.
“I didn’t think I needed a permit to take a dump,” he said. “I thought it was a human right, not a controlled activity.”
WorkSafe rejected this interpretation.
“There is no such thing as an unregulated bowel movement on an active site,” Chinn said.
“Every action carries risk. Every risk must be documented.”
If found in breach, the tradie could face:
A $4,000 infringement notice
Mandatory refresher training in “Contained Environment Ethics”
Temporary suspension from unsupervised toileting
At the time of writing, the porta loo has been isolated with barrier tape and tagged “Do Not Enter — Incident Under Review.”
