Key Takeaways
- Pastor Helen Verry died in January 2022 when a 230 kg roller door fell on her while she was setting up for a service at Church Unlimited in Glendene, West Auckland.
- The incident prompted a WorkSafe NZ investigation, a coroner’s inquest, and prosecution of the door’s installer, Scotty Doors (SDL), which was fined over $200 000 for unsafe installation.
- Church staff member Pastor Kathleen Woollett was appointed response co‑ordinator and testified that the church had not identified the door as a hazard, despite regular maintenance checks, and admitted shortcomings in post‑accident handling.
- Testimonies highlighted reliance on volunteers to report safety concerns, the difficulty of managing health and safety in a large, transient‑volunteer organization, and the view that the door functioned normally up to the moment of the accident.
- The inquest underscores the need for systematic hazard identification, clear safety protocols, and adequate training—especially in faith‑based settings where ministerial duties may overshadow occupational health and safety responsibilities.
The Fatal Accident at Church Unlimited
On a January morning in 2022, Pastor Helen Verry was helping prepare the auditorium for the next Sunday service when a heavy roller door unexpectedly dropped. The door struck her on the side of the head, pinned her to the ground, and she succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter. Witness Pastor Kathleen Woollett turned around, saw the door falling, and shouted a warning that came too late. The tragic event was described as a sudden, unforeseen catastrophe that left the congregation and staff in shock.
Immediate Response and Grief
In the aftermath, Woollett—recognised for her administrative abilities—was appointed the church’s response co‑ordinator to oversee the WorkSafe NZ investigation into Verry’s workplace death. She recalled that the staff were initially overwhelmed by grief and disbelief, repeatedly asking themselves, “Did I do it?” Woollett said this self‑questioning guided her efforts to support the team while navigating the legal and procedural demands of the investigation.
WorkSafe NZ Investigation and Legal Proceedings
WorkSafe NZ examined the circumstances surrounding the door’s installation and maintenance. In 2024, the agency prosecuted Scotty Doors (formerly SDL), the manufacturer and installer, for unsafe installation practices. The court ordered the company to pay more than $200 000 in fines and reparations, acknowledging that the door’s installation failed to meet safety standards that could have prevented the accident.
Woollett’s Testimony on Hazard Identification
During the inquest on Wednesday, Woollett explained that regular maintenance and safety checks were performed on the church’s auditoriums and grounds before Verry’s death. Nevertheless, she stated that neither she nor any other staff member had identified the roller door as a hazard prior to the incident. The church relied on volunteers and employees to report concerns, but no one had raised issues about the door, leading to a gap in proactive risk assessment.
Challenges of Managing Safety in a Volunteer‑Heavy Organisation
Woollett acknowledged that Church Unlimited is a large, growing organisation with hundreds of transient volunteers, making consistent health and safety oversight difficult. She noted that while the church had attempted to improve its safety culture, the constant flux of volunteers hindered the establishment of stable procedures. The organisation was continually looking for ways to enhance safety, but the sheer scale and turnover posed significant challenges.
Criticism of Post‑Accident Changes
When questioned about the adequacy of changes made after Verry’s death, Woollett said the church had introduced more robust health and safety induction systems. However, she conceded that the implementation remained uneven due to the volunteer‑based structure. She admitted that, in hindsight, the church could have done better in managing both the immediate aftermath and the longer‑term investigation, but stressed that the team was still processing grief and shock at the time.
Legal Scrutiny of Woollett’s Investigation
James Cairney, lawyer for roller door manufacturer SDL, pressed Woollett on whether she could be critical of the church during her investigation. She responded that the church maintained an open mind and that staff were collectively asking “why, why, why?” after the tragedy. Woollett added that she and her colleagues felt more equipped for ministerial work than for legal or investigative tasks, questioning at what point health and safety requirements become overly burdensome for a grieving congregation.
Testimony from the Door’s Installer
Warren Blackwood, project manager for Skyward Construction, which had contracted Scotty Doors to install the roller door in 2009, testified that such doors generally require little maintenance beyond occasional dusting for appearance. He stated that his company never performed maintenance on the doors after installation, leaving that responsibility to the contractors. Blackwood colloquially described the doors as “overhead mouse traps,” implying they posed hidden dangers if not monitored.
Perspective of the Last User
Adrian Robertson, the church’s musical director, said he believed he was the last person to operate the roller door before Verry’s death. He recalled attaching Christmas decorations and fairy lights to the raised door in late 2021, then removing them three weeks prior to the accident. Robertson noted that the door functioned normally during those interactions and that he observed nothing unusual about its operation at the time.
Continuing Inquest and Broader Implications
The inquest remains ongoing, with further testimonies expected to examine the church’s safety policies, the installer’s responsibilities, and potential systemic failures. The case highlights a broader issue: faith‑based organisations often prioritize pastoral care and community service, sometimes at the expense of rigorous occupational health and safety frameworks. The tragedy of Helen Verry’s death serves as a stark reminder that proactive hazard identification, regular equipment checks, and clear safety training are essential, regardless of an organisation’s primary mission.