WorkSafe describes 2016 as a ‘horror year’ for Victoria

WorkSafe Victoria has described 2016 as a ‘horror year’ for workplace deaths, calling for more to be done in 2017 to prioritise safety.

26 people died while on the job in Victoria in 2016.

It marks the worst year for fatalities since 2009.

18 of the deaths occurred in regional Victoria, while eight were in Melbourne.

The youngest person to die was a 21-year-old dairy farmer who was electrocuted while working on a pump in a drainage pit in the state’s north east.

WorkSafe inspectors made more than 46,000 visits to workplaces across the state last year – with high risk sectors set to be targeted again this year.