Young farmer crushed by silo on Victoria farm

WorkSafe Victoria is investigating the death of a farm worker in Mooroopna North, a town in Victoria. It is believed the 23-year-old worker died after being crushed by a silo on his family’s dairy farm; the man was working underneath the silo alone when it collapsed on top of him. The fatality brings the number of workplace deaths this year to 14, which is eight more than at the same time last year. It is also the fourth death on a farm to occur in 2020, which WorkSafe Victoria reports is the most of any industry, with only two fewer fatalities than the agriculture industry recorded for all of 2019.

WorkSafe Victoria Chief Executive Colin Radford said the shocking toll less than three months into the year was a reminder that every workplace must stay focused on safety, despite changing priorities. “Each of these deaths is a tragedy for families, co-workers and communities who are having to deal with the loss of a loved one at an already difficult time. While employers are spending a lot of time and energy on adapting to the crisis, they must continue to do everything they can to protect the health and wellbeing of their workers,” Radford said.

Although many workplaces may make drastic changes as the community responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regulator reminded businesses that safety must remain a priority.

Image credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Martti Salmela