Tree branch kills school groundskeeper

A man working as a groundskeeper at a school in Berwick has been killed after he was hit by a tree branch.

The man, aged in his early 30s, is believed to have been using a chainsaw to cut sections of a branch which was partially detached from the trunk of a tree when the incident occurred.

WorkSafe Victoria is investigating.

The man’s death brings the number of fatalities at Victorian workplaces this year to five, four more than at the same time last year.

WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Marnie Williams said the tragic incident highlighted how dangerous working with trees could be.

“This is a terrible thing to have happen and our hearts go out to the family and friends of the man who died,” Williams said.

“The care and management of trees can involve complex and dangerous tasks and we would ask everyone involved in this type work to ensure they make safety a priority.”

For more information about working with trees, see Working Safely with Trees at www.worksafe.vic.gov.au.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Roxana