A tonne of glass falls on worker
WORKMATES and staff from neighbouring businesses scrambled to lift around a tonne of glass, sheet by sheet, off a worker pinned by his head in a freak industrial accident.
The man, in his mid 40s, was unloading the glass from a crate inside a container at Pacific Glass and Security in Kawana, when the glass overbalanced, toppled over and trapped him.
The loud crash drew the attention of workers around the close-knit Metier Linkway industrial complex.
"I heard the glass fall, I ran out to see what had happened and saw his head was pinned up against another pallet," a shaken Kurt Peckston, of Blitz Imports, said.
He grabbed his phone and called 000 as workers from around the complex rushed to help lift the glass to set the man free.
The glass was pulled off his head, but it fell onto his ankle.
"It dropped and hit his leg and snapped his ankle in half," Mr Peckston said.
Another worker, Rhys Wollstein, of Pacific Power, followed the injured man's co-workers to try to help.
"He was moaning and groaning as they got the glass off him, one sheet at a time."
The accident involved 22 sheets of glass sheets, each estimated at around 1200mm x 900mm. They toppled from an overall height of around two metres.
Police forensic officers attended the scene to collect photos and conduct investigations.
They said the incident would be listed as an industrial accident.
"Police conducted preliminary inquiries and then will hand it over to workplace Health and Safety investigators," Acting Senior Sgt Frank O'Sullivan said.
An ambulance spokeswoman said the man suffered severe cuts to the leg and facial injuries. He was rushed in a serious but stable condition to Nambour Hospital.
