Work safety advocate fighting for families in memory of late husband

WHO will answer the door when the police come knocking? A work safety advocate is humanising workplace accidents in a bid to stop fatalities.

Cheryl Romer lost her husband Bob in a workplace accident and is advocating to make sure no one else has to go through the same pain.

A LEGAL verdict but no moral justice — a situation workplace safety advocate Cheryl Romer sees time and time again and one that is all too familiar.

Almost 30 years ago she lost her husband Bob in a crushing incident at his workplace — steel beams poorly loaded in a truck crushed the 42-year-old rigger and he died two weeks later from the injuries.

He left behind a wife and two young children who fought for 10 years to wade through the paperwork that ensued.

“I was 35 when Bob was killed, I never thought that I would have to raise two kids on my own alongside all of the repercussions,” she said.

Bob Romer was killed in a workplace accident in 1988.

While the rules and regulations around workplace incidents have become more strict with time, she still is amazed by how complacent employers and employees can be.

In the first four months of 2017 already, 51 people have been killed across Australia in workplace accidents — not including work-related diseases and exposure to chemicals.

Ms Romer puts it down to cutting corners.

“People want to get things done quickly, they can be poorly trained or might just be subcontractors without much background in the industry,” she said.

“Especially in construction the numbers have increased again but we want Bob’s story to bring a human face to the trauma — I answered the door for the police that day, who will answer for you?”

Cheryl Romer with children Luke, 10, and Kate, 10, in 1995.

Visiting worksites and lobbying for change became part of life for the Hilltop Rd Public School teacher as she came to terms with her husband’s accident and connected with other families who had gone through similar cases.

“In the time that we have been involved there still is so much progress to be made,” she said.

“Families are still being kept out of the proceedings — many don’t even know the circumstances of the accidents unless there is an automatic inquest.”

Bob Romer’s name is among the many at a memorial to workplace accidents at the old brickworks in Merrylands and Ms Romer hopes the list of loved ones will one day stop growing.

She and others like her will join for a memorial service at the plaque on Saturday to pay their respects.