News

Man dies in SA silo incident

Emma Alsop July 8, 2024

SAFEWORK South Australia is investigating the death last week of a man after he became trapped in a silo in SA’s South East.

SA Country Fire Service, police, and ambulance crews were called to a property at Salt Creek at about 4.15pm on Friday after reports that a man was trapped in a silo.

A man, aged 63, died at the scene.

It is believed the silo was full of lupins at the time of the incident.

In a statement, SA Police said they were preparing a report for the coroner.

SafeWork SA reports in situ grain silos on farms have been associated with various incidents creating risk to the health and safety of workers, including:

  • falls from heights while accessing the top of silos;
  • engulfment within the silo;
  • structural failure or collapse; and,
  • being damaged by moving vehicles.

In January 2019 SafeWork SA investigated the death of a farm worker who appeared to fall into a silo at a property at Kalanbi, north of Ceduna on Upper Eyre Peninsula

A year earlier, workers at a property near Mallala, north of Adelaide, were lucky to escape injury after a full grain silo collapsed.

Following the incident, SafeWork SA inspectors conducted audits of field bins and grain silos focusing on maintenance and operating procedures.

Outside SA, the most recent silo-related incident occurred in February when a man sustained significant leg injuries after becoming trapped under a silo at a Central Queensland property.

Across Australia, AgHealth Australia reports there were 32 on-farm deaths during 2023 as well as 122 on-farm injury events.

Tractors and quads were the leading agents of farm deaths and injuries.

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