Victorian man killed by 200kg server

 

Investigation underway.

A man has died after computer equipment fell on him in Laverton North, West of Melbourne, whilst a workmate helped unload it with a forklift.

Paramedics from Newport were called to the man, aged in his late 50s, just after 3pm Tuesday.

WorkSafe Victoria spokesman told iTnews the server was two metres tall, "as big as a fridge" and weighed 200kg.

"It was on the back of a semi-trailer and mounted on casters," the spokesman said.

Contrary to a Victorian Ambulance statement, the WorkSafe spokesman said no pallet was attached to the server.

"It wasn't mounted on a pallet or secured in any way," the spokesman said.

Ambulance Victoria clinical support officer Mark Lamb said the man was in cardiac arrest with bystanders and firefighters performing basic life support when paramedics arrived.

"It appears the man was helping others unload a large computer server from the back of a truck," Lamb said.

"The equipment has started to slip from a forklift and it appears that the man has tried to stop it.

"It has then fallen on him and he has suffered critical head and chest injuries."

An investigation by Police and WorkSafe began today, WorkSafe said.


Victorian man killed by 200kg server
"Uprising of the machines anyone? John told us they would become self aware at some point. Tsk tsk for not listening."
By Bazwalt
 
 
 
Comments: 10
Thysce
Jan 13, 2010 4:31 PM
FAAARRRKK :x
Tinrib
Jan 13, 2010 4:46 PM
That poor guy, truly tragic for all involved.
Geekpete
Jan 13, 2010 5:39 PM
I wonder how many of us may have ended up in a similar dangerous situation - how we react when something unexpected happens. We all know to "just let it go", but sometimes our reactions are before we think! Not good. Personally, I hope that I jump "the other way"!!
HyRax
Jan 13, 2010 6:16 PM
I don't think that's what the poor guy was expecting when he was told that the server could crash... on top of you,

OH&S, people...
ITrant
Jan 14, 2010 10:49 AM
I don't wish to diminish the tragedy here, but that's the weight equivalent of 152 Mac Mini Servers - cooler, quieter, probably more powerful, definitely more redundant and a lot safer to unload + you can use them as home theatre servers during low demand periods. Food for thought.
john120
Jan 14, 2010 4:42 PM
Condolances to his family

@ Itrant your an idiot no one cares about mac pc or servers as they are just toys and not used for business
rossco
Jan 15, 2010 1:29 PM
HyRax & ITrant - grow up. You are trivialising a truly sad event.
HyRax
Jan 17, 2010 8:01 PM
rossco, OH&S is not trivial. Proper practice would have saved this mans life. While I may make a light-hearted comment, I am hardly trivialising the event.
Ace
Jan 18, 2010 10:46 AM
I was probably a bunch on Mac servers mounted in a rack.

People often don't realise just how dangerous a lump of metal on a forklift can be. 200kg isn't a hell of a weight, but if you lift it to head-height, it becomes quite a dangerous lump of steel. Unfortunately it is clear that standard OH&S procedures when around a forklift were not being followed. Normal forklift forks have no traction whatsoever, which is a good reason why no-one should ever be near raised forks with a load on them.

I do question (a little bit) whether this story is 'IT News', but I guess it does serve as a reminder.
Bazwalt
Jan 18, 2010 1:59 PM
Uprising of the machines anyone?

John told us they would become self aware at some point. Tsk tsk for not listening.
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