The death of Anthony Attard, father-of-three, followed a recent run of accidents seriously injuring other waterside workers and sparked renewed calls for the tougher safety laws to be introduced.
Toll Shipping worker Anthony Attard, 42, was helping load cargo on board a vessel docked at the Port of Melbourne on May 20, when he was run over by a trailer. Paramedics rushed to the waterfront but could not revive him.
”When I started, he told me, ‘Have eyes at the back of your head, and keep a look out’,” said Mr Attard’s brother, James, who worked with him at the port. ”And he was one of the most careful guys there. ”Working with heavy machinery every day, it’s dangerous. Safety
should be No. 1, no matter where you work.”
A stevedoring code of practice – intended to replace national guidance material – is being developed by Safe Work Australia through a working group of regulators, stevedoring companies and the union.
But the Australian Logistics Council this week criticised the draft code, saying it should ”not go ahead at all”.
The Maritime Union of Australia on Friday called the council’s comments ”disgraceful”, showing ”just how little regard” the stevedores industry had for worker safety.
The maritime union, of which Mr Attard was a delegate, said national statistics showed the death rate per 100,000 workers was 14 times higher on the wharves than in any other Australian workforce, and more than double that of the army.