Shepparton fruit grower charged: Coolroom death

A Shepparton fruit grower has been charged over the coolroom death of a truck driver.

GV Independent Packers is facing court over a cool-room death.

Shepparton-based Gvip Storage has been charged with failing to maintain a safe workplace, after a 50-year-old truck driver entered its low-oxygenated cool room in March last year, where he collapsed and died.

The driver was found after his truck was spotted outside the cool room, with the engine still running, but he was unresponsive.

WorkSafe alleges the company failed to reduce the risk of serious injury or death by prohibiting entry to cool rooms operating with a controlled atmosphere and by having clear and prominent warning signage.

The matter is listed for a filing hearing at Shepparton Magistrates’ Court for Friday this week (December 20).

GVIP, which is owned by the Georgopoulos family, supplies major retailers with apples, pears and stonefruit from its 600ha of orchards.