Incredible response after Aussie man killed in wind turbine tragedy
Melbourne man Jess Patience has been identified as the worker who was killed at the Golden Plains Wind Farm on Monday.
The man who was tragically killed by a fan blade at a wind farm on Monday has been identified as Jess Patience, as his heartbroken family comes to terms with their “unimaginable loss".
The 36-year-old installation technician was working at the Golden Plains Wind Farm west of Melbourne when a blade, which was meant to be lifted onto a wind turbine, was dislodged from a support platform, WorkSafe investigators understand. The subcontractor, described as "one of the most friendly guys" was crushed and declared dead at the scene.
To help "ease the financial burden that comes with such a tragedy," a close friend has launched a GoFundMe page for Patience's family which, in just a couple of days, has already raised more than $100,000, far exceeding the fundraiser's $15,000 target.
"As we come to terms with this unimaginable loss, we want to honour his memory and support his family during this difficult time," Leeroy Denko, who launched the fundraiser, said of his "amazing" friend.
Those close to him are still in disbelief over the "tragic accident that should never have happened" with many taking to social media with tributes honouring the Melbourne man who was "taken too soon".
"Jess was one of the most friendly guys I’ve met and took me under his wing to teach me a lot in the time I worked with him," one colleague wrote online in the days after his death. "He was always down for a chat about a lot of our shared experiences from growing up in the ranges to living in Canada, he was a top fella."
Tragedy 'could have been prevented', unions believe
Following the incident on Monday morning, Vestas Wind Systems — the company responsible for installing the turbines at the work site — was slammed by the Australian Workers Union (AWU). It's understood the deceased man was a CFMEU member.
“This devastating loss could have been prevented,” AWU Victoria secretary Ronnie Hayden said. "This is not just another statistic, this is a worker who went to work and never came home".
According to reports, delegates of the three unions with workers on site – AWU, CFMEU and ETU – raised safety concerns in the weeks leading up to his death.
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Speaking in the wake of the incident, Vestas confirmed the blade was being prepared for installation when it happened, the ABC reported.
"The blade is stored on the ground, and there's some prep work that needs to be done before it can be lifted, and it's in that work stream that the incident or accident happened", Danny Nielsen, country head of Vestas Australia and New Zealand, said on Monday afternoon.
Nielsen said work at the site would be stopped for the "coming days" while an investigation took place. It's understood WorkPlace is still investigating.
with NCA Newswire
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