Published: 21 June 2017
A 55-year-old man died after the spreader truck he was driving rolled down a hill at Limestone, south of Yea, at about 5pm yesterday afternoon.
A 45-year-old man died after he fell from a stationary truck at a chicken breeding farm at Freshwater Creek near Geelong at around 9am this morning.
In the first incident, the man was spreading lime across the top of a steep hill when the vehicle rolled. The man was thrown from the cabin and crushed as the vehicle rolled down the hill.
In the second incident a man was loading manure into the truck when he fell from the vehicle.
WorkSafe is investigating both incidents.
WorkSafe’s Executive Director of Health and Safety, Marnie Williams, said the two deaths were tragic, and highlighted the need for every farm to make safety their number one priority.
“Agriculture employs just three per cent of Victorian workers but accounts for almost 30 per cent of all workplace deaths,” Ms Williams said.
“These two incidents brings to eight the number of workplace fatalities on farms this year. This is a horrendous toll and is completely unacceptable.
“Using heavy machinery and working at height are often parts of the job, but it is important that everyone involved in agriculture - employers, employees and contractors – understand the risks associated with every task and manage them appropriately."
The two fatalities brings to 13 the total number of workplace fatalities in Victoria this year, compared with 18 at the same time last year.