Victoria Police and emergency services were called to Golden Plains Wind Farm in Victoria’s west early in the morning on Monday, October 11, where a worker was crushed and killed by a turbine blade.
The fatality occurred at the site of Australia’s biggest wind project just after 8am, according to ABC News. Responders attempted to revive the 36-year-old man but he was declared dead at the scene.
Photographs taken by ABC News showed two fan blades resting on metal scaffolding, with another blade lying on the ground beside fallen scaffolding.
WorkSafe Victoria is investigating the incident.
Related article: Golden Plains Wind Farm Stage 1 delivers first power to grid
Vestas working with authorities
Danny Nielsen, Australian head of Vestas, the Danish wind energy company delivering the project for owners Tag Energy and Ingka Group, said, “Vestas is devastated for the worker, his family and the entire team building the wind farm, and we will be doing everything we can to support them during this terrible time.”
He said the incident happened while the massive rotor blade was on the ground being prepared to be lifted.
“With workplace safety as our number-one priority, the site has been closed and we are working closely with the authorities,” Nielsen said.
Union says it raised safety concerns
However, the Australian Workers Union said it had previously warned Vestas of safety concerns in the weeks leading up to the accident.
AWU Victoria state secretary Ronnie Hayden said, “This devastating loss could have been prevented. Just two weeks ago, union delegates from three different unions met with Vestas management to raise serious safety concerns, telling them it was only dumb luck that nobody had been killed on site yet.”
“Vestas appears to have attempted to transfer its safety obligations onto subcontractors who lack the necessary training and resources to manage complex safety requirements. This practice of delegating critical safety responsibilities without proper oversight has created dangerous gaps in safety protocols.
“How many more families need to lose their loved ones before WorkSafe and the Victorian Government take real action? We’re sick of hollow investigations and paperwork while workers are killed.”
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About the project
The Golden Plains Wind Farm Project spans 16,723ha to the west, south and south-east of Rokewood, a small rural town in the Golden Plains Shire approximately 60km north-west of Geelong.
The site is located on land that is primarily used for agricultural purposes such as broad acre cropping and livestock grazing.
Golden Plains Wind Farm Stage 1 began delivering first electricity to Victoria’s grid on October 11, 2024. Stage 2 of the massive wind project has been scheduled for completion in mid-2027.
Stage 1 of the $4 billion project will eventually deliver 9% of Victoria’s energy—enough to power 765,000 homes, or every home in regional Victoria.
