Safety investigation reveals new details in tragic death of Ronald Selig

A safety investigation into the death of a beloved television personality and member of the Australian opal mining community has revealed the events before his tragic accident.

Opal miner Ron Selig sadly died after falling from a roof in Winton in Outback Queensland.

A safety investigation launched into the death of a beloved television personality and member of the Australian opal mining community has revealed the events leading up to the tragic accident that took his life.

Ronald Gordon Selig, a popular figure from Outback Opal Hunters, suffered fatal injuries when he fell about 5.8m from the roof of a workshop to the ground at Red October Mine, south of Winton, about 9.15am on November 26, 2022.

Ron Selig was a regular fixture on Outback Opal Miners. He sadly died on November 26, 2022.

According to a report by Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ), Mr Selig had been undertaking repairs to the roof of the workshop, which had been damaged during a severe weather event.

The report states the 66-year-old was walking along the damaged roof line when the ridge purlin gave way causing Mr Selig to fall through the roof sheeting to the ground.

Section of the roof structure where Ron Selig was working at time of accident.

According to the report, Mr Selig and another person visited the site and found the roof on the workshop damaged two days before the accident.

The day before the accident, Mr Selig and the other person worked to secure the damaged roof of the workshop, which they continued to do on November 26, 2022.

The reports states Mr Selig accessed the workshop roof by the roof of the adjoining accommodation building using an extension ladder and that once on the roof, he started removing roofing screws from its purlins.

Extension ladder used by Mr Selig to access workshop roof.

The other person was looking through a toolbox of a light truck for some lifting and rigging equipment and when they returned, they found Mr Selig on the ground in the middle of the workshop with visible physical injuries.

That person called emergency services and officers from Queensland Police Service and Queensland Ambulance Service responded to the mine, which was remote and about 3.5 hours from the nearest regional centre.

Mine site location.

The incident triggered an investigation by RSHQ and prompted a safety alert, which was published on January 19, 2023.

The safety alert cited recommendations that all site senior executives should have adequate training and knowledge of working at heights and appropriate facilities to minimise the risk of persons falling from heights should be provided, including scaffold, elevated work platforms, fall restraints and arrest PPE.

The industrial site where Ron Selig was working at the time of the accident.

Mr Selig was a part of the Boulder Opal Boys Downunder group, and was the loader driver, head chef and “Eagle Eye Opal Checker”.

Following his passing, the show described him as “a great character and amazing Opal Hunter”.

Mr Selig was from the Sunshine Coast and mined in the area of Opalton, a small township near the Opalton Opal Fields, 120km from Winton and 190km from Longreach in outback Queensland.

A funeral was held for Mr Selig on the Sunshine Coast on December 20, 2022.

Mr Selig’s daughter, Mel, said her father was exactly as he was on Outback Opal Hunters.

“Dad was a kind, caring and a fun loving man, who always would come out with the funniest jokes,” she said.