Victorian Worker Dies After Scissor Lift Topples at Truganina Factory

The following is an abridgement of an article originally published by NSCA Foundation.

Incident Details

A 59-year-old worker died on 9 September 2026 following an incident at a factory in Truganina, located in Melbourne’s west. The incident marked the 32nd workplace fatality recorded in Victoria in 2026.

The worker was in the basket of a scissor lift conducting maintenance on an overhead bridge crane when the crane moved unexpectedly. The movement destabilised the scissor lift, causing it to topple over. The worker was ejected from the basket during the fall and died at the scene.

Victoria Police attended and are preparing a report for the coroner, and WorkSafe Victoria has initiated an investigation into the incident.

Plant Interaction and Safety Controls

The report highlighted risks associated with operating mobile elevated work platforms near other plant and moving equipment. According to guidance cited from WorkSafe Victoria and Safe Work Australia, employers must conduct thorough risk assessments and isolate or lock out adjacent machinery, such as overhead cranes and gantries, prior to elevated work.

Additional control measures specified in official guidance include establishing exclusion zones, verifying ground stability, providing specific machinery training, and prohibiting the movement of elevated scissor lifts unless the plant is designed for that purpose.

Workplace Fatality Toll

The incident occurred six days prior to another fatal Victorian workplace incident on 15 September 2026, in which a worker was crushed by a load dislodged from a reach stacker at a Tottenham warehouse.