A Metropolitan Ambulance Service member checks to see how the injured man is going.By Callan Date
A MAN suffered a fractured leg and was trapped down a four-metre hole for more than two hours after an industrial accident in Narre Warren on Tuesday morning.
The 37-year-old Mulgrave resident was retrieved with the help of six CFA crews as well as Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS) paramedics.
Intensive care paramedic Andrew Burns was one of the first on scene.
Mr Burns said he believed the man was lowered into the hole using an excavator and was injured when the machine’s bucket hit his leg.
“He was in excruciating pain from the fractured leg,” Mr Burns said.
“Initially, a pain-relief inhaler was dropped into the hole to give the man some comfort, while CFA crews shored-up the side of the hole to prevent collapse.
“Conditions were extremely dangerous. The dirt was damp, and there was a risk of collapse. The primary focus is safety. You aren’t saving anyone if the pit collapses, and the fire brigade has done a fantastic job,” he said.
Dandenong, Narre Warren North and Hallam CFA crews attended the scene and were supported by police, paramedics and WorkCover officials.
“He was loaded on to the ambulance helicopter and airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition, suffering a fractured leg,” Mr Burns said.
The cause of the incident is being investigated.
WorkSafe officials have since warned against working in close proximity to machinery.
WorkSafe construction and utilities director Chris Webb said working near mobile plant was a high-risk activity, particularly when in confined spaces.
“If something goes wrong there is little margin for error and the consequences, as in this case, can be serious,” Mr Webb said.
“WorkSafe’s experience is that the incident that kills or leaves a permanent injury is not much different from one you can walk away from.
“Surviving a day at work should not be a matter of luck, but the result of consistent good practice and job-planning.
“Safe workplaces are created and maintained as a result of regular safety reviews, discussion about known and potential hazards and the implementation of safety management plans,” Mr Webb said.
“Employers, including labour hire firms, sub-contractors and primary contractors have obligations, as do individuals and those who commission work,” he said.
