New South Wales has seen five deaths at workplaces in four days.

The NSW Government says the deaths at workplaces over the past week serve as a sad reminder to employers and businesses about safety.

In 2022, there was approximately one workplace fatality a week in NSW but in the past four days five people have died at NSW workplaces, including:

  • On 29 January, a 77-year-old man was visiting a factory in Griffith where he was struck by a forklift. The man was rushed to hospital where he died in the following days.

  • On 31 January, a 28-year-old man died after falling when he was electrocuted conducting air conditioner repairs in Engadine.

  • On 31 January, a 51-year-old man died after he lost control of a side-by-side all-terrain vehicle and was thrown while on a cotton farm in Narromine.

  • On 1 February, a truck driver was located unresponsive on the ground of a loading bay in Dubbo.

  • SafeWork is also investigating a 1 February fatal motorbike incident on a property 120km east of Tibooburra.

SafeWork has also been notified of several workplace incidents which resulted in serious injuries including an incident on 27 January where a construction worker fell around 3.5 metres from a scaffold in Eastwood, resulting in serious head injuries.

SafeWork says business owners must ensure workers, especially those involved in high-risk areas such as working at heights, electrical and moving plant and machinery, are properly trained and instructed on how to do their job safely.

Workers who have concerns about workplace health and safety can anonymously contact SafeWork on 13 10 50 or through the Speak Up Save Lives app.