04:00 pm, Wednesday 22 August, 2007

Source: The Courier

A 54-YEAR-OLD Leonards Hill man was killed yesterday when he was crushed by atractor in a farming accident.

The man had reversed the tractor into a water tank on his property about midday, Senior Constable Simon Barker of Daylesford police said.

He said the man had hit the water tank and jumped off to investigate the damage.

The tractor was still in gear while the man was investigating the other wheel, Sen Const Barker said.

“At some point he was pulled under.”

Sen Const Barker said the man was a farmer whose wife found him after the accident.

Worksafe Victoria spokesman Michael Birt said it was believed the tractor had become bogged.

“At some point he’s fallen under the wheel and suffered injuries to his upper body,” he said.

Mr Birt said there had been eight deaths involving tractors since October last year.

“It’s going to have an enormous impact on his family and the community and that is why we really need to get the message out to people.”

“We use machines because they are powerful and strong, but with that comes extreme danger if something does go wrong.”

Worksafe recently launched a tractor safety campaign. Mr Birt urged people using tractors to think very carefully about what they were doing.

Worksafe Victoria investigators and police are preparing a report for the coroner.

The name of the man has not yet been released.

OHS NEWS TIP - Tractor Safe Work Procedure

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