SA hospital worker dies after crush injury

A worker on the Royal Adelaide Hospital building site has died a day after he suffered crushing injuries.

A 54-year-old worker injured at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital building site has died.

Jorge Castillo-Riffo received crush injuries to his head, neck and back on Thursday morning after he became trapped between a scissor lift and a concrete slab above him.

SafeWork SA executive director Bryan Russell said Mr Castillo-Riffo died on Friday.

He expressed his condolences to the worker's family, friends and co-workers.

"The death is a sad reminder of why we all need to remain vigilant in eliminating and minimising work health and safety hazards," Mr Russell said in a statement.

Workers walked off the site on Thursday.

On Friday morning, management and the workers' union, the CFMEU, agreed the site would be shut down until Tuesday out of respect for the then-hospitalised man and while an investigation continued.

Mr Russell said the investigation remained ongoing and would identify any potential breaches of the SA Work Health and Safety Act.

In light of the tragedy, SafeWork SA will deploy additional inspectors from next Tuesday to maintain an active and visible presence when workers return to the site.

"This is in addition to SAfeWork's SA unannounced day and night-shift visits to monitor compliance with safety requirements," Mr Russell said.

More than 1000 workers are employed at the site, which operates 24 hours a day.

SA's 2014 work-related death toll is now 12.

The toll reached 15 in 2013.


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