Wife of Nyrstar zinc smelter worker Michael Petterwood’s painful wait for news on husband

The wife of tragic Nyrstar worker Michael Petterwood has revealed the devastating toll of finding out her husband had died at work.

The Nyrstar zinc works in Lutana. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

THE wife of a worker who died at Nyrstar says she wasn’t told for 2½ hours that it was her husband, despite the family’s desperate pleas for information after hearing about a tragedy at the Hobart plant.

Anne Petterwood said she “called and called” the mobile phone of husband Michael on Wednesday afternoon, praying reports of a death at the zinc smelter were not about her 59-year-old partner.

WORKER DIES AT NYRSTAR ZINC FACTORY

“We didn’t know what was going on. We called one of his bosses to ask if he was OK but they told us they didn’t know,” she said.

“We sat at home for 2½ hours wondering if it was him in the news reports of a death at his work.”

Mrs Petterwood said her worst fears were confirmed when she saw police approaching her front door to break the news.

“We don’t hold anything against Nyrstar but they could’ve called. They need to change the policy of how they inform families following workplace incidents, instead of just flogging them off.”

Michael Petterwood.

The family was preparing to hold a 60th birthday early next month for Mr Petterwood, but instead Mrs Petterwood said the family’s attention would now turn to funeral arrangements.

“We were going to have all his firefighting medals mounted to present to him as a surprise for his birthday.”

She said her late husband, whom she met aged 15, will be remembered as a “sincere man who cared for everyone”.

She said Mr Petterwood — who was a father to two sons and a grandfather — was a family man who always offered his time.

A driver of the Risdon Vale community bus, Mr Petterwood volunteered as a firefighter for 20 years and played Santa Claus at community events.

“He was a great husband of 39 years. He was quite sincere and cared about everyone including those he worked with. He always tried to guide others,” Mrs Petterwood said.

The cause of Mr Petterwood’s death is still unknown. He was understood to be in good health.

Nyrstar on Thursday night said it would review its emergency response procedure which currently stipulates that police advise the next of kin.

“We recognise that this can make circumstances particularly difficult for family members ... We reiterate our sincere condolences to the family and will continue to provide them as much information as we can as the investigation progresses,” a spokeswoman said.