Two dead in year at Kapunda feed plant

TWO people have died in industrial accidents within a year at the same stock feed and horticultural business.

TWO people have died in industrial accidents within a year at the same stock feed and horticultural business.

Yesterday, a 42-year-old man was killed when he was caught in a bagging machine at J.T. Johnson and Sons on Old Adelaide Rd, Kapunda, at 7.50am.

Emergency services were called but he died at the scene.

It is the second death at the business, which bags stock feed for export to Asia, in the past year.

In December, a 58-year-old man was crushed by a hay bailing shuttle in another of the business's nearby premises.

The business was charged with a breach of the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act last month following a SafeWork SA investigation into the incident.

The matter will go to the Industrial Court this month.

J.T. Johnson and Sons director Robbie Johnson expressed sadness at the latest death and said the company was co-operating with investigators.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened at the death of our employee killed at work in Kapunda this morning," Mr Johnson said.

"J.T. Johnson and Sons is a fourth-generation, family-owned business and we are personally aggrieved at the news of his death this morning.

"As a company and a family, we will, during this difficult time, continue to do all we can to comfort and support those who knew him."

He said the company was co-operating with Safework SA and SA Police as they investigate what contributed to the man's death.

Kapunda man Jeffrey Sando lives near the plant and heard emergency service vehicles arrive at the scene.

"I thought: `Oh no, I hope there is not another incident'," he said.

"It's sad because we are a small town, we are all together."

He said the owners of the plant were the biggest employers in the town, and "I couldn't wish for better people".