A worker lost his life after being crushed by a fan blade while working at one of Australia’s largest wind farm projects, authorities confirmed on Monday. The incident took place at the Golden Plains wind farm, located approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) west of Melbourne. The site is promoted as the largest wind farm project in the country.
According to police reports, the worker was fatally injured when a massive fan blade fell and trapped him. These industrial wind turbine blades can be enormous, weighing up to 22 tonnes and reaching lengths of more than 60 meters (200 feet).
Local media images revealed a tractor attempting to lift the blade’s tip, which had seemingly detached from a metal brace during the construction phase.
The state’s workplace safety agency has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident and any potential safety violations.
