Man crushed on 'unsafe' work site
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Police on the scene of the accident at Northcote. (ABC Radio: Ryan Sheales)
A man has been crushed to death while unloading a truck in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote.
Police say the truck, which had a crane attached, toppled onto the man in his fifties in McCutcheon Street, shortly before 8:00am (AEDT).
Paramedic Craig Hazelwood said his work mates were the first ones on the scene and they started CPR before ambulance officers arrived.
"Ambulance paramedics... found the patient had extensive injuries to his chest and neck," he said.
"MICA paramedics turned up and worked on the gentleman for about 45 minutes, but... he passed away."
Union officials say the death could have been avoided, if the proper equipment was used.
The CFMEU's Pat Preston says the truck-mounted crane being used was unsuitable.
"[It was ] a very unsafe site. Anybody looking can see that," he said.
"And [it was] also an example of the wrong machine being used for the job. A crane truck, which is designed to lift loads off the truck, being used as a mobile crane to lift loads off another truck."
Worksafe's John Merritt says it could be days before investigators find out what went wrong.
"We've still got one truck leaning on another and that's where all the attention is going at the moment."
It is the fifteenth reported workplace death this year.
