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The following is from a WorkSafe media release dated 27th March, 2007.

 
Bendigo death adds to horror workplace death toll

The death of a man who fell around three metres on a domestic home improvement project today at Bendigo has taken Victoria’s work-related death toll for 2007 to 11.

The man, who was from Eaglehawk and aged in his late 50s, died in hospital.

He was working with another man at the house in Peacock Drive Epsom when he fell through plastic sheeting.

They were completing a pergola.

Victoria’s alarming death toll of 11 compares with five at the same time last year.

Four of this year’s deaths have been in the construction industry. More than a quarter of the state’s deaths since the start of last year (11 of 41) were in construction.

WorkSafe’s Executive Director, John Merritt, said falls were a major cause of deaths in construction. There have been four since the start of 2006.

“Planning a safe work sites does not take long or add significant cost. Most importantly it protects workers, workmates and families the horror of a tragedy. It protects business.

“In small businesses, the injured person often is the business. They own it; they do the work alongside others.”

Mr Merritt said most people hurt or killed at work in Victoria are doing the job they do everyday, and may have been doing for years.

“People make mistakes. Safe systems of work must be built into every job. Relying on skill and experience is not the basis of a safe working environment.

“Thinking safe and being safe – not saying ‘that should be OK’ but knowing it will be safe should be everyone’s aim.”