Safety concerns raised over Benalla West Gate Tunnel site after serious accident

Construction union CFMEU has criticised the safety standards of a West Gate Tunnel concrete plant after a 20-year-old worker was injured.

The powerful construction union the CFMEU has hit out at a West Gate Tunnel concrete plant over safety standards following an incident that left a 20-year-old in hospital.

The injured worker was hit by a two-tonne casting mould at the LS precast plant in Benalla, which manufactures tunnel and bridge segments for the embattled $6.7 billion WGT project.

WorkSafe is investigating the incident, which was triggered when material fell from a gantry crane the worker was operating on February 3.

Reports indicate the worker was thrown to the ground and struck his head against a piece of reinforced steel, requiring him to be flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

The Benalla site has been embroiled in the toxic soil saga that has dogged the WGT and stalled work on the main project, which will link the West Gate Freeway to CityLink.

Work at the concrete facility has also slowed, with workers laid off and segments piling up.

The LS Precast factory is making parts of the Westgate tunnel. Picture: Jason Edwards

Senior vice president of the CMFEU in Victoria, Joe Myles, said union inspectors who attended the site after the incident found there were no service records attached to equipment, and criticised the sling used to transport material.
He said previous issues with cranes had been identified on site, including problems with brakes and readers showing how much loads weighed.

“It's a miracle no one has died yet at the Benalla yard,” he said.

“The union has been raising safety concerns at the yard from day one. The CFMEU continue to see the same safety issues each time we visit.”

The Sunday Herald Sun contacted LS Precast for comment.

A West Gate Tunnel Project spokeswoman said safety of workers on site was of utmost priority.

“We understand that both that LS Precast and CPB John Holland are working closely with WorkSafe to ensure the required safety standards are in place,” she said.

“Our thoughts are with the person involved in the recent incident, and their family.”

A WorkSafe spokesman said they were making inquiries.

Mr Myles said CPB and John Holland, who were contracted to build the WGT, were not doing enough to fix problems on the site, which was set up to try to attract regional workers.

He said the government should consider safety records when giving taxpayer-funded work to building giants.

Massive loads of concrete segments cast at Benalla have had be trucked into Melbourne for months after a rail siding built for the facility and the tracks into the city could not handle as much weight as expected.

Major digging on the West Gate Tunnel is still on standby while Transurban and the builders await environmental approvals to store PFAS-contaminated dirt at three potential sites.

They must then sign a contract before the soil, which has plagued the project and triggered delays, can be dug up.