‘Panic’ after concrete slab reportedly falls on worker in Orakei construction site – Stuff.co.nz

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Two people were injured at the apartment construction site on Thursday.

A construction worker was crushedunder a concrete slab while working on an apartment complex in Auckland, an eyewitness said.

St John said two people were injured in the accident and hospitalised on Thursday morning.

The eyewitness told Stuff workerswere lowering a slabnear the intersection ofPaora and Tautari Streets,in Orakei,when another slab already in place seeminglyfell and collapsed.

"There was stillpanickingthere and there's an ambulance there now. It was pretty rough."

READ MORE:Four workplace accidents in four days: 'Be more aware of risks', WorkSafe says

He said scaffolding at the Eastern Bays construction site might have stopped the slab causing even more damage.

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The construction company says the site will be "untouched" and it will investigate, as will a subcontractor and WorkSafe.

"I only saw one person but think it might havecollapsedonto another.

"Some of the scaffolding stopped it from falling all the way down," he said shortly before 11am.

Southbase Constructionchief executive Quin Hendersonsaid a 12sq m precast concrete slab was dislodged as another slab was being moved at the Paora Apartments site.

Henderson said first aid was carried out immediately and an ambulance called as a precaution.

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The Fire Service and St John were alerted after the 6x2 metre precast concrete slab fell.

He said it appeared all required health and safety measures were in place at the site but Southbase and the subcontractor involved would co-operate fully with WorkSafe.

The site and any affected area "would remain untouched" until WorkSafe arrived.

"Southbase and the subcontracting party will be conducting their own investigation."

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An ambulance was sent to the construction site on Thursday morning (File photo).

Henderson said Southbase's "immediate concern" was for the two workers' welfare.

They were fine and would be returning to work soon, Henderson said.

He said investigations typically took "a couple of days".

WorkSafe confirmed it was notified of the Orakei construction site incident.

"We are working to establish details of the incident and what our next steps might be," a WorkSafe spokeswoman said.

St John was called to a workplace incident on Paora Street at 9.58am, an ambulance service spokeswoman said.

One ambulance crew, a rapid response unit and a St John manager were deployed.

"We have treated and transported two patients to Auckland City Hospital. One is in a moderate condition and one is in a minor condition."

Fire and Emergency NZ was alerted to reports at 10.05am of a person trapped underneath a concrete slab but firefighters were stood down soon afterwards.

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'Panic' after concrete slab reportedly falls on worker in Orakei construction site - Stuff.co.nz