A 66-year-old mechanic has died in Darwin after the car he was working on came off its hoist.
NT Worksafe regulatory reform director Chris Wicks confirmed the workplace death occurred yesterday in the northern suburb of Winnellie.
“A mechanic was working on a car, on a vehicle on a hoist, and that car has moved,” he said.
“The mechanic was either caught or struck by the vehicle and died of his injuries.
“We cannot confirm it but we do believe there was one other person there and that person was the one to contact emergency services.”
Mr Wicks said they were not able to confirm the types of injuries the worker had sustained at this time.
“The coroner will obviously have to make a determination about that and our investigation, which is ongoing, will be given to the coroner.”
The NT has the highest rate of workplace deaths per capita in the country.
Mr Wicks said they suspected the heat, which has been building recently as the Northern Territory heads into its wet season, could have been a factor.
“It appears that the worker was doing something that was probably normal and ‘everyday’ and unfortunately something has gone wrong,” he said.
“We have a vague suspicion that it was just so damn hot that he may have forgotten one important piece but we can’t confirm that.
“But it is a reminder to all workers to pay attention when working around heavy machinery.”
Mr Wicks confirmed the worksite was still closed and that inspectors remained onsite.
“Without going into details, it will be a complex investigation,” he said.
“We do require engineering expertise to help us undertake the investigation, including being able to make the site safe for our investigators.”
But once the onsite investigations conclude, Mr Wicks said it would be up to the next of kin to determine the business’s future operations.
“My understanding is that it is a sole trader, so it will really be up to the family to determine what will happen with the business in the longer term,” he said.
NT Police confirmed detectives from the crime division were also preparing a report for the coroner.
Source: ABC News
