Greenfield, Walter Robert
Deceased
Walter Robert Greenfield
Demographics
66y, male
Date of death
2011-06-07
Finding date
2014-08-26
Cause of death
Multiple injuries due to motor vehicle collision (pedestrian) against a background of coronary artery atheroma
AI-generated summary
Walter Greenfield, a 66-year-old road line marking ganger for Cairns Regional Council, was struck and killed by a vehicle on 7 June 2011 while setting out traffic cones at night. The driver failed to see safety signage, traffic cones, and the worker. The inquest found that while one traffic controller was theoretically sufficient, the crew failed to follow established safety procedures: they commenced work before the traffic controller returned to position, the Traffic Guidance Scheme was not completed, and the illuminated arrow board was not deployed. Critical supervision failures existed—the night-shift crew had minimal oversight from their day-shift supervisor. The coroner concluded that had proper procedures been followed, with the traffic controller positioned and visible before work commenced, the death would likely have been prevented. The driver's failure to keep proper lookout was the immediate cause, but systemic supervision gaps and crew non-compliance with documented safety protocols contributed.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Contributing factors
- Crew commenced work before traffic controller was in position
- Traffic Guidance Scheme not completed or signed off
- Inadequate supervision of night-shift crew by day-shift supervisor
- Arrow board on work truck not activated
- Crew failed to utilise available safety resources
- No site-specific safety induction completed
- Absence of on-site inspections for night-shift operations
- Driver failed to keep proper lookout and comply with safety signage
Coroner's recommendations
- Photographs or video of the work site are to be taken after all signage and safety measures are agreed between the ganger and the traffic controller, and prior to work on the roadway commencing
- Spot checks or safety audits be conducted on line marking work sites to ensure compliance with relevant safety procedures and set up, including during night work if reinstated
- The Council consider engaging an Occupational Health and Safety Officer to undertake risk assessment to clearly outline in one document the procedure to be adopted by line marking gangs, including that signage and traffic cones are to be put out and the traffic controller be in place before any work on the road commences
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