Occupational Health and Safety:Man Crushed By Truck at NBN Site
A man was killed when he was crushed between two trucks at the National Broadband Network (NBN) worksite.
Paramedics rushed to the scene and found the 57-year old trapped between two trucks but had already succumbed to his head injuries.
Police report that the man was removing an item from the back of one of the trucks when unaccompanied young worker got into a second truck and parked right behind. The 20-year old worker drove into the man and crushed him against the stopped truck.
NBN Co released a statement confirming the death and stated that it was working with its contractor to assist in investigations .
The death comes only a day after it was revealed several NBN rollout sites across the country have been under investigation for asbestos exposure risks.
Acting Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis says the worker was pronounced dead at the scene.
“It just seems to have been a tragic accident at this stage,” he said.
“We’re very early into our investigation of the matter.
“The driver of the truck was conveyed to a local hospital to undergo mandatory testing, we’ve got a crash investigation unit there.”
Superintendent Koutsoufis says the driver is very distressed.
“But as yet, other than undergoing the mandatory testing we haven’t spoken to him in a formal manner,” he said.
WorkCover is currently investigating the incident and union officials from the Community and Public Sector Union are looking into the death.
Kiama is one of the five towns connected to the $37.4 billion high-speed broadband network or NBN
The project is expected to take until atleast 2023.
More info on Occupational health and safety
Source: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/17410507/man-crushed-by-truck-at-nbn-work-site/
OHS:Plasterer Suffers Back Injury
A plasterer suffered a back injury at a construction
A 34-year-old plasterer has been lowered from an O’Malley construction site with a hydraulic lift after suffering a back injury this morning.
The man has received pain relief and was talking to paramedics before he was taken by ambulance to Canberra Hospital.
An ACT Fire & Rescue Skylift hydraulic platform was used to lift the man from the second storey of the private residence on Wallangara Street, as he was unable to use the scaffolding.
Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe said inspectors had been on site, but there was no concern over working conditions.
Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/plasterer-injured-in-workplace-incident-20130507-2j4ed.html#ixzz2Sel3EA9T
“It appears the man has bent over to pick something up and his back has knocked up,” he said.
“We don’t believe there’s any worksafe issues.”
ACT Ambulance Service duty officer of operations Steve Mitchell said he was alerted to the incident about 8.45am, and wasn’t aware of the exact details.
“He hasn’t fallen from a height or anything – he said [he was doing] some sort of lifting,” he said.
“This doesn’t appear to be an accident, more an incident.”
Complete Fixset Plastering owner Ron Rawson, the man’s employer, said he understood the worker had been moving a stool at the time of the injury.
Mr Rawson said his company had been on the site for a week.
Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/plasterer-injured-in-workplace-incident-20130507-2j4ed.html#ixzz2Sel0ibZm
