A health and safety regulator is examining what caused an employee to suffer severe injuries.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) recently launched an investigation into a worker who was hospitalised on 25 July 2023.
Emergency responders were called about 1:15pm after being told a 54-year-old man fell six to 10 metres from scaffolding. The victim reportedly hit several obstacles before landing on concrete with severe internal injuries.
“WHSQ is investigating a serious fall from height incident,” a WSHQ spokesperson said according to the Daily Mail.
“This is an active investigation.”
The man could only be reached with a crane and cage at the Boggo Road site. Paramedics transported the man to the Princess Alexandra Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.
“He is in an extremely serious condition. He has extensive internal injuries as from what I have been briefed but the extent of this I am unaware of at this stage. There were a number of workers on site at the time who rendered assistance to him,” Queensland Police inspector Andrew Tracey said according to News Limited.
“No one expects to come to work and end up in hospital, so they [colleagues] are obviously rallying together and supporting each other through this.”
The State Government confirmed the site has already been shut down with all work suspended. Counselling services have been offered to employees.
“This is a terrible accident. Every worker deserves to go home safely everyday,” State Transport and Main Roads and Minister Mark Bailey said in a public statement.
“This is a traumatic event for the worker, his family and fellow workers on site and my thoughts are with them.”
The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) criticised the broader $6.3 billion Cross River Rail Project for having the nation’s “worst [safety] record”.
CFMEU revealed the public private partnership project has already received “hundreds” of safety enforcement notices that “just should not happen”.
Major contractors include the PULSE consortium comprising of Pacific Partnerships, CPB Contractors, UGL, DIF, BAM and Ghella.
UNITY Alliance consists of CPB, UGL, AECOM, Jacobs, HASSELL, RCS Australia, Acmena, Martinus Rail and Wired Overhead Solutions.
Hitachi Rail STS is delivering the European train control system.
