Construction on the 756 MW Golden Plains wind farm in Rokewood, Victoria, has been paused following the death of a subcontractor. The incident, which occurred on Monday morning, involved the worker being fatally injured beneath a fan blade at the wind farm site, located 133 kilometers west of Melbourne.
Vestas, the contractor for the project owned by TagEnergy, expressed condolences, confirming the incident on 11 November. A spokesperson stated, “Vestas share their deepest condolences with the individual’s family, and we will do everything we can to support them during this difficult time.” Vestas added that safety is its “number one priority,” and the company is cooperating with Victoria Police and WorkSafe Victoria in an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.
Emergency responders attempted to revive the worker at the scene, but he was pronounced dead. Victoria Police indicated a report would be prepared for the coroner. “The man was working at a wind farm on Bells Road when he was crushed beneath a fan blade shortly after 8 a.m.,” a police spokesperson said. WorkSafe Victoria, responsible for overseeing workplace safety in the state, has confirmed its involvement in the investigation.
WorkSafe Victoria, under the Victorian WorkCover Authority, enforces safety standards across workplaces in the region and holds the authority to prosecute in cases of workplace health and safety violations.
