VIC: Worker drowned after fall into hole inquest hears

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-1999
VIC: Worker drowned after fall into hole inquest hears

By Catherine Chisholm

MELBOURNE, Aug 9 AAP - A worker drowned after falling into an unguarded hole during the
building of Melbourne's new tollway, an inquest was told today.

Justin O'Connor, 28, died when he was trapped in water in the unprotected 2.5-metre deep
hole on the CityLink construction site at Grant Street, Southbank, in May, 1997.

Mr O'Connor worked for a sub-contractor, Nationalpile, who carried out drilling on the site
and assisted the drill operator making bore holes.

Ross Ray, for Transfield-Obayashi, said Nationalpile were subcontractors who were drilling
48 holes to nine metres deep along two lines.

The hole would be drilled to two metres before remaining dirt was removed and during that
time the hole was unguarded, he said.

According to one version of the accident, the court was told, Mr O'Connor's right foot had
slipped on loose soil around the hole and was caught up as he fell backwards.

He had landed in the hole on his bottom with his legs raised, according to the witness.
Dirt fell on his chest but his head and hands were visible.

He was trapped for two hours before being pulled out and taken to hospital.

Mr O'Connor later died in hospital.

The court was told Transfield-Obayashi and Nationalpile Pty Ltd had been fined $25,000 in
Melbourne Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to having an unsafe workplace.

The companies had also settled a civil suit, with Transfield contributing 30 per cent and
Nationalpile contributing 70 per cent, the court was told.

Project engineer for Transfield, Ashley Williams, said that when he arrived at the scene of
the accident his primary concern was that the hole into which Mr O'Connor had fallen would
cave in.

"The principal concern of everyone was the collapse of further soil on him," Mr Williams
said.

He said the hole was dry when he saw it and he did not know where the water had come from.

He offered emergency services the use of about 30 men on the site and resources to free Mr
O'Connor, he said.

Asked by Trevor Monte, for the family, whether he thought nearby drains might be a source
of water, Mr Williams said he had no reason to think they would lead to flooding.

Mr Monte said Mr O'Connor's first complaint was that he could feel water on his backside.

A Transfield foreman, James Larder, said he had never seen water in a two-metre hole at the
site except on one occasion when a stormwater drain was hit.

That stormwater drain was four to six metres from site of the accident, and a pump was used
to pump the water out days before the accident.

Mr Larder said there was water in only about a third of the 50 holes that were drilled down
to nine metres.

The first section of the CityLink tollway is due to open on Sunday.

The inquest before coroner Iain West is continuing.

AAP cmc/ra/was

KEYWORD: OCONNOR NIGHTLEAD

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