By Kath Gannaway
WORKSAFE Victoria has described the events which took the life of a vineyard worker at Woori Yallock last week as a ‘freak’ accident.
The 42-year-old woman from St Albans was working with a crew of sub-contractors doing pruning at Lone Star Creek Vineyard on Owens Road on Thursday, 17 June, when a sudden wind-storm came through just after 11am.
The woman, whose name has not been released, was moving with the other workers towards shelter when she was hit by a tree limb and killed.
Ambulance and police were called to the vineyard, but the woman died at the scene.
Vineyard manager Cameron Joyce said conditions at the vineyard changed suddenly.
“The weather was quite benign, then the storm started coming in very quickly and the crew were moving out of the way when the accident happened,” he said.
A distressed Mr Joyce said there had never been a serious accident at the vineyard before.
“It’s been a pretty rough day,” he said as police, representatives from the Coroner’s Office and inspectors from WorkSafe inspected the accident site.
Michael Birt from WorkSafe Victoria told the Mail they had investigated the incident and would not be taking the matter further.
He said it was a random event which had a tragic outcome.
“It’s a different sort of situation (to most workplace accidents). The workers have been in a pretty safe position working in the vineyard when the conditions have turned and they have naturally gone to shelter,” he said.
“Unfortunately on the way this terrible thing has happened.
“I’m loath to use the term ‘freak accident, but in this case it seems apt,” he said.
Last week’s stormy weather saw the Lilydale SES respond to 20 calls for help in the Wandin-Seville area.
Spokesman Shaun Caulfield said most call-outs involved fallen tree branches.
“One job had some sheet metal that had lifted off a garage, but the rest were involved with trees because it’s been so wet lately,” he said.
Upper Yarra SES spokesperson Russell Morris said a building was damaged in Launching Place and a tree came down.
“We only had two jobs out here, but a few of us went over to Knox and Emerald to help out – it was like it had been bombed over there,” he said.
The SES continues to remind drivers to be aware and conscious of different driving conditions.
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