A worker blinded in one eye after just two days on the job will get $15,000 from his employer, an aluminium joinery repair and maintenance contractor.

The contractor, Kerry Bruce Duggan, trading as Mr Alifix has also been fined $10,000.

Tauranga District Court was told that on May 9 2011 Duggan and the employee were working on scaffolding to remove window panes from Tauranga Boys' College gymnasium.

Duggan demonstrated to the employee how to remove rubber seals from aluminium retaining beading using a screwdriver.

The worker was then given a wood chisel to use instead of the screwdriver.

"Unfortunately, while the employee was working on a rubber seal at face level, the chisel slipped and hit the employee in the left eye resulting in permanent loss of sight," said Department of Labour central general manager Ona De Rooy.

The department found that a few simple measures could have been put in place that would have significantly reduced the potential for harm.

A safe way to remove the seals should have been set up, appropriate tools such as a specific pry tool or putty knife should have been used and protective eyewear should have been worn, said Ms De Rooy.