The NSW Government says several deaths at workplaces over the past week serve as a sad reminder to employers and businesses about safety.
In 2022, there was approximately one workplace fatality a week in NSW but in the past four days five people have died at NSW workplaces, including:
- On 29 January, a 77-year-old man was visiting a factory in Griffith where he was struck by a forklift. The man was rushed to hospital where he died in the following days.
- On 31 January, a 28-year-old man died after falling when he was electrocuted conducting air conditioner repairs in Engadine.
- On 31 January, a 51-year-old man died after he lost control of a side-by-side all-terrain vehicle and was thrown while on a cotton farm in Narromine.
- On 1 February, a truck driver was located unresponsive on the ground of a loading bay in Dubbo.
- SafeWork is also investigating a 1 February fatal motorbike incident on a property 120km east of Tibooburra.
SafeWork has also been notified of several workplace incidents which resulted in serious injuries including an incident on 27 January where a construction worker fell around 3-4 metres from a scaffold in Eastwood, resulting in serious head injuries.
Business owners must ensure workers, especially those involved in high-risk areas such as working at heights, electrical and moving plant and machinery, are properly trained and instructed on how to do their job safely.
