A 24-year-old man has died in a workplace accident at Costa Adelaide Mushrooms, at Monarto South. Emergency services responded after receiving reports of critical injuries, but resuscitation efforts proved unsuccessful.
Paramedics were called to the mushroom farm on Pope Road around 8.20pm on Tuesday after a report that a Strathalbyn man had been critically injured. The man was found with critical injuries and despite the efforts of paramedics, sadly died at the scene.
Costa Adelaide Mushrooms is the second largest mushroom farm and most modern mushroom cultivation facility in Australia. The facility utilises state of the art processes to produce over 6,240 tonnes annually of primarily White Mushrooms as well as some Swiss Brown Mushrooms. The Costa Group are the biggest mushroom producer and wholesaler in South Australia growing more than 240 tonnes of brown and white mushrooms per week.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner. Safe Work SA have been advised of the incident and are investigating.
The death adds to a troubling trend in Australia's agricultural sector. Farming continues to be the highest risk occupation with around eight times the rate of fatality of the general employed population. Major agents of injury are farm vehicles (39%) and machinery (26%). Machinery safety upgrades and training, particularly for tractors and quad bikes, represent key areas of investment given the injury prevalence and cost burden.
The circumstances of the incident remain under investigation. Authorities have not yet disclosed details about what led to the critical injuries. The worker's death will be reported to the coroner as part of standard procedures for workplace fatalities.