Holcim worker suffers horror workplace accident at Bohle batching plant

A Queensland man says he has been handed a death sentence after a workplace accident at a concrete batching plant has left him struggling to breathe. WATCH THE VIDEO

John “Benny” Benstead and wife Racheal at their home in Kirwan, Townsville. Mrs Benstead said “it kills me” to see her husband battling Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome after he was allegedly covered in a load of fly ash in an alleged industrial accident driving a loader for Holcim in Bohle, Townsville in early 2023. Picture: Cameron Bates

A Townsville man who has been handed a “death sentence” after a workplace accident is speaking out to “stop it from ever happening again”.

A veteran of the ADF’s peacekeeping mission in East Timor, John “Benny” Benstead, 57, says he is fighting what will be an ultimately losing battle against airway trauma allegedly sustained at a concrete-batching site operated by Holcim Australia in Bohle in February last year.

“It’s a constant tightness in the throat and like heartburn, pain stretching throughout my whole lungs,” he said between wheezy, shallow breaths.

“If I breathe too deep it’s like sharp, stabbing pains all the way through to the back of my ribs through the lungs … and just shortness of breath, I just can’t get enough oxygen.”

The married father of two adult children and former Holcim production operator said he was driving a loader when he stopped at a wash station near the batching area.

He said that as he exited the vehicle, “the sky went black” as he was covered in a load of fly ash, a by-product of burnt coal that can be added to cement as a strengthening agent when making concrete.

“I’ve climbed down four steps to get to the ground and ran about eight-ten metres out of the cloud, when I turned around you could not see the loader … it was that thick.”

John “Benny” Benstead with an employee productivity award from Holcim Australia. Picture: Supplied

Mr Benstead, a model worker employed by the company since January 2022, said he was told by Holcim employees at the time that there had allegedly been a “valve failure and we’ve been working on trying to rectify it”.

“There were no exclusion zones, no radio calls, nothing,” he said.

“It had failed twice before and they were up working on it … normally if there are works being done it comes out in the supervisors’ meeting first thing in the morning but nothing was said.”

John “Benny” Benstead and wife Racheal in happier times. Picture: Supplied

Mr Benstead, who has never smoked in his life and was a keen spearfisher prior to the accident, said he developed symptoms that were diagnosed as “occupational asthma” by two different doctors, including a respiratory specialist.

He said his last day of work was November 22, 2023, after his condition worsened.

“I’m now at about 50 per cent lung capacity and it’s declining,” he said of the fly ash that had caused a fibrosis or scarring of the lungs.

John “Benny” Benstead, an Australian Army veteran, struggles to breathe after an alleged industrial accident driving a loader for Holcim in Bohle, Townsville in early 2023. “As soon as I start breathing heavily, coughing starts, excruciating pain, I can’t breathe, light-headed and you can’t do a thing,” he said at the Kirwan home he shares with wife Racheal. “This is just asphyxiating, painful death sentence, I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.” Picture: Cameron Bates

Mr Benstead said the possibility of a lung transplant had been discussed but ruled out because he had put on excessive weight because he could not exercise.

He said just walking from the kitchen to the lounge was now an ordeal.

“As soon as I start breathing heavily, coughing starts, excruciating pain, I can’t breathe, light-headed and you can’t do a thing.”

Outdoorsman John “Benny” Benstead landing a monster fish. Picture: Supplied

Mr Benstead said an independent assessment by a Cairns-based doctor for WorkCover in February this year resulted in a diagnosis of Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome of the kind suffered by multiple New York firefighters in the aftermath of September 11.

John “Benny” Benstead and wife Racheal at their home in Kirwan, Townsville. Mrs Benstead said “it kills me” to see her husband battling Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome after he was allegedly covered in a load of fly ash in an alleged industrial accident driving a loader for Holcim in Bohle, Townsville in early 2023. Picture: Cameron Bates

Wife Racheal said her husband had been given just eight years to live, the last year of which would be bedridden.

“He’s been the rock, the strong person, in the family and now to see him like this where he can’t do anything … it kills me.”

She said her husband was a terrific singer and a great cook, but now could not do either.

“He can’t even do basic things now … he’s stuck at home and doesn’t even leave the house.”

Mr Benstead said Holcim needed to own their role in the incident and ensure it never happened again.

“This is just an asphyxiating, painful death sentence, I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”

Holcim Australia and New Zealand (HANZ) was contacted for comment.

Shine Lawyers solicitor Amelia Hamilton confirmed on Monday that legal action was being undertaken against Holcim.

“As part of that claim, what we will be doing is seeking compensation to basically reflect the devastating impact that this has had on (Benny’s) life, so that will be a claim for … the immense pain and suffering … and for his loss of earnings as well.”

She said the law firm would be alleging that Holcim had “breached its duty of care and have been negligent in allowing him to be exposed to that dust and as a consequence has obviously suffered this devastating injury”.

Originally published as Holcim worker suffers horror workplace accident at Bohle batching plant