The Daily Telegraph
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1258&storyid=1699643
Worker killed in tunnel collapse
July 30, 2004
A WORKMAN was killed when a section of
Sydney's cross-city tunnel collapsed last night.
The disaster has shut down progress on the multi-million dollar project indefinitely, with tunnellers refusing to work until assured they will be safe.
The dead worker, a 41-year-old father-of-two, was in a section of the tunnel under William and Bourke Sts, Darlinghurst when part of a roof collapsed just before 5.30pm.
It is understood he was with three other workers, boring a ventilation shaft when a large slab of rock fell from the tunnel roof.
His wife and two teenage daughters were being informed of his death last night.
Work on the tunnel has been shut down until at least Monday with unions claiming they had previously raised a number of safety concerns with construction firm Baulderstone Hornibrook.
Kevin Brown from the Australian Workers Union said a mass meeting of workers would be held in Bourke St on Monday morning.
"I have highlighted safety issues with management. Even as late as Wednesday I raised safety concerns," Mr Brown said last night.
"We don't see this project starting up in the near future until we get a guarantee this project is safe."
Workers will decide on Monday when work can continue on the $680 million 2.1km tunnel, which will connect Darling Harbour with Kings Cross.
Mr Brown said concerns over dust and diesel fume levels inside the tunnel, as well as a lack of handrails in some sections had been raised with Baulderstone Hornibrook before last night's incident.
The workers who witnessed the man's death were having counselling last night.
It is understood the man moved to Sydney from New Zealand a year ago to work on the project.
He lived in Sydney with his wife and 13 and 14-year-old daughters and was one of a large contingent of Maori working 12-hour shifts tunnelling under the city.
A traditional Maori ceremony will be held for him next week.
Paul Levins, from Baulderstone Hornibrook, said the man's death was devastating for the company.
He claimed work was due to resume on Monday and worker safety would be paramount.
"Now is especially not the time to be crying about whether we have had a good safety record. This is the ultimate loss and our thoughts are with the family," Mr Levins said last night.
"Obviously the safety of workers is a paramount issue. Now is not the time to be getting into an argument, we are devastated by the loss."
State Coroner John Abernethy was on scene last night and WorkCover was also investigating the incident.