Southland council workers are being abused, threatened and hit by flying objects while doing their jobs.
A mystery object smashed through a council vehicle's windscreen on a highway, showering the driver with glass. Environment Southland cannot explain what caused it.
"As there was no traffic near the vehicle or any other obvious factors, the exact cause of the glass shattering remains unknown," said council general manager people Amy Kubrycht.
The incident was one of several workplace safety issues detailed in a recent council report. Others included a female employee being approached by a male while unloading boxes after hours, and verbal abuse aimed at Emergency Management and pest plant personnel.
One water sampling trip turned up an unexpected find when an employee discovered a firearm in a river and alerted police. No further action was taken.
The council has also struggled to fill basic safety roles. Two recruitment rounds for a health and safety manager position failed, leaving the organisation without a manager for about six months.
Kubrycht said daily health and safety responsibilities had been managed by the health and safety coordinator before an interim manager was appointed in March.
Meanwhile, council drivers are getting faster. Speeding events in work cars jumped to 569 for the January to March period, up from 477 for the same period last year.
Other incidents included sunstrike causing one vehicle to clip another. The report paints a picture of an organisation where staff face genuine risks — from aggressive members of the public to unexplained accidents — while basic safety infrastructure remains incomplete.