Man dies delivering beer in country hotel

A 54-year-old man, who was delivering beer kegs to the Birregurra hotel in Victoria’s south west, has died, possibly due to a carbon dioxide leak in the cellar, an initial WorkSafe investigation has revealed.

The investigation is at an early stage, but Worksafe's Acting Executive Director, Stan Krpan, said the death was a tragic reminder of the risks of working in confined spaces with little ventilation: “With or without a gas leak or chemical exposure, limited means of entry and exit, poor air circulation and working in confined spaces is risky. Employers need to understand these risks and develop appropriate controls.

“This is an issue across industries - not just hotels - such as storerooms in the retail industry, silos and water tanks for agriculture workers, warehousing in manufacturing and even construction sites and drains.

“It’s essential that appropriate controls and training are in place to manage these risks, because if they aren’t, the risk of death or serious injury is high.”

This death was the second workplace fatality for March and the ninth since the start of the year. Regional Victoria remains over-represented in the workplace death toll, accounting for four deaths this year. In 2009, 18 of the 30 reported workplace deaths were in regional Victoria.