A 3.5 kilogram aluminium plate that had been attached to the Southern Star
Observation Wheel only by paint fell 25 metres to the ground yesterday,
landing in a public area and narrowly missing construction workers.
The incident sparked an investigation by WorkSafe Victoria, which ordered
the safety barriers around the Docklands tourist attraction to be moved
further out and an inspection of all similar plates to ensure they were securely
bolted on.
WorkSafe spokesman Michael Birt said two bolts attaching the "fish plate" -
measuring 30 centimetres by 11 centimetres - to the 120-metre-tall structure
had been removed at some stage, but the plate was stuck in place by paint.
When the wheel was turned as part of its decommissioning process, the paint
seal broke and the plate fell to the ground about 7.30am yesterday.
Mr Birt said it struck the tyre of an excavator that was on the ground, while
construction union secretary Bill Oliver said it fell within metres of a worker
and a foreman using an escalator at Harbour Town.
"Three-and-a-half kilos hitting anybody with or without a hard hat would
be a potential near-death experience, if not fatal," Mr Birt said.
"That's why it is important for construction sites of any size to get these
"That's why it is important for construction sites of any size to get these
safety issues sorted out."
Mr Oliver said it was lucky there were few members of the public around the
site at the time the plate fell.
But he criticised WorkSafe's response to the incident, saying an inspector did
not attend the site until 3pm.
The incident is the latest in a series of problems that have plagued the
$120 million giant observation wheel during construction and after it
opened to the public.
The tourist attraction was closed within weeks of opening last December
when cracks up to 60 centimetres were discovered in several nodes that
join the wheel's spokes to the hub.
During the construction phase, a two-metre stip of aluminium fell 70 metres,
and WorkSafe warned of several safety concerns including loose bolts and
poor staff training. Two cabins were severely damaged during testing last
November.
The Age
Written By: Sherrill Nixon
July 17, 2009
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