Olympic Dam death investigated
A young worker at BHP's Olympic Dam mine site in South Australia has tragically died following a “serious crash” that occurred on the site on Tuesday.
The victim, a 25-year-old man from Two Wells north of Adelaide, was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency services responded to reports of a pedestrian being critically injured at around 5:30 am.
Details of the incident remain unclear, and police have not revealed what kind of vehicle was involved. However, workplace safety agency SafeWork SA has been notified, and an investigation is underway.
BHP has stated that they are “engaging with SafeWork SA and SAPOL in relation to the incident”, but that the cause of the worker's death is not yet clear.
“Our thoughts are with the person's family, friends and colleagues, and we are offering all the support we can during this difficult time,” a BHP spokesperson said.
SA Police's Major Crash unit attended the scene, and police are preparing a report for the coroner. SafeWork SA has confirmed that it has been notified of the incident and will make further enquiries.
While it is unclear whether the incident was work-related, SafeWork SA has stated that it will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic event, and our thoughts are with the worker's family, friends, and colleagues,” a SafeWork SA spokesperson said.
“We will do everything we can to ensure that a full investigation is conducted and that any necessary actions are taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.”