A manager responsible for training staff at a turf company where Shoalhaven rugby league player Blaine Rozs was killed in a workplace accident had not read the operator’s manual for the machinery he was instructing people how to use, a court has heard.
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Mr Rozs, a promising U20s Dragons development player, was killed almost instantly when he fell underneath a reversing harvester while working for Turfco at Jaspers Brush just after 7am on December 1, 2014.
He’d been cutting turf with fellow worker Deejay Seymour since 5am and was standing on a folding platform at the rear of the tractor when the accident occurred.
On Monday, an inquest into his death heard Turfco logistics manager Scott Parker was aware the company’s sod harvester had come with an instruction manual, however had never read it.
“We didn’t read the manual when we got the machine – it’s hands on [learning],” he told the court, later confirming the company had no written rules or guidelines for operating the harvester.
“No one told you you should look at the manual and use it as a basis for your training of harvest operators?” a lawyer for SafeWork NSW asked Mr Parker.
“No,” he replied.
The inquest heard several operating practices employed by Turfco workers flew in the face of the guidelines in the manual, including that the driver remain in his seat at all times.
Mr Seymour also gave evidence, confirming he too had never read the instruction manual but had had “4-5 days” practical training with Mr Parker.
Meantime, Mr Seymour said he last saw Mr Rozs when he looked over his right shoulder moments before starting to reverse the fully-laden harvester towards up to a waiting truck some 80-90 metres away.
He said the 19-year-old was standing on the folding platform at the back of the harvester. He asked him if he was alright, receiving a ‘yes’ in response.
He then looked over his left shoulder and began reversing. Mr Rozs was not in Mr Seymour’s line of sight when he fell under the machine.
The inquest will examine whether Mr Rozs fell while possibly lifting up the folding platform as the vehicle reversed – something he’d been warned against doing twice prior.
Mr Seymour could not remember whether the platform was up or down immediately after the accident.
Workers tried to help deceased colleague
Turfco employees have told of the gut-wrenching moment they discovered fellow worker Blaine Rozs pinned under a turf harvester.
Deejay Seymour was working on the sod harvester alongside Mr Rozs and was in the driver’s seat when the 19-year-old fell underneath the machine just before 7am on December 1, 2014.
Mr Seymour told police he felt a “bump” and immediately stopped the tractor. He said when he got down from the driver’s seat he saw Mr Rozs pinned under the wheels, with his arm out.
“I grabbed his arm and was yelling out to him but there was no response,” he told an inquest into Mr Rozs death on Monday.
“I could feel his hand moving. His eyes weren’t open or anything but I could feel his hand moving.”
Mr Seymour ran for help.
Turfco logistics manager Scott Parker arrived moments later.
He said he immediately noticed Mr Rozs’ body had turned purple.
He said he heard him take two breaths – followed by silence.
“They sounded like his last breaths, like air escaping from his stomach,” he said.
“I’ve never heard anything like it before.
“I kind of knew when I first saw him that he was gone.”
Veteran NSW Ambulance paramedic Stephen Hazelton was the first emergency responder to arrive on scene.
He said he immediately checked Mr Rozs’ vital signs, but couldn’t find any.
“The machine recorded no electrical activity … that’s when I made my conclusion that he was deceased.”
Mr Hazelton said he saw a significant amount of blood close to Mr Rozs’ head, which seemed to be coming from his nose and mouth.
Emergency services used low pressure airbags to lift the harvester and free Mr Rozs’ body.