Deceased
Jacob Austin Kermeen
Demographics
19y, male
Date of death
2015-03-04
Finding date
2018-09-26
Cause of death
Traumatic asphyxia and multiple injuries sustained in a workplace incident
AI-generated summary
Jacob Kermeen, a 19-year-old pipe layer, died from traumatic asphyxia following a trench collapse on 4 March 2015. Working in an excavated manhole approximately 3 metres deep, Mr Kermeen exited a protective trench shield into an unprotected area where excavation was ongoing. When a trench wall collapsed, he was buried beneath approximately 3 metres of soil. The coroner found that Mr Kermeen left the shield unexpectedly, contrary to his training and knowledge, and that his fellow workers did not abandon him as initially suggested. While the exact reason for exiting the shield remains unknown, the case highlights the critical importance of strict adherence to trench safety protocols and the effectiveness of physical reminders (such as magnetic chains) to prevent workers leaving protective equipment.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Clinical conditions
Male, female, male, female·Nicholas Brown: combined drug (methadone and benzodiazepine) intoxication; Toni …
Joint inquest into four deaths of individuals prescribed opioid replacement therapy by Dr J. between September 2016 and August 2017: Nicholas Shane Brown (35), Toni Lee Wiki (38), Matthew Wayne Winwood (47), and Belinda …
40y · Male·Multiple injuries sustained in a workplace incident
A 40-year-old concrete pump operator died when a concrete placing boom collapsed, striking him fatally. The boom failed due to metal fatigue cracking in the king post (internal turret component), which had developed over…
0y · Male·Perinatal hypoxia
Baby R, born at 39 weeks 6 days via planned homebirth with private midwives, died from perinatal hypoxia on day 6 of life. The mother had significant obstetric risk factors: previous emergency caesarean section, macrosom…
Source and disclaimer
This page reproduces or summarises information from publicly available findings published by Australian coroners' courts. Coronial is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any coronial court or government body.
Content may be incomplete, reformatted, or summarised. All court orders for redaction and non-publication are respected; documents with technically defective redaction have been excluded from the database entirely. Always refer to the original court publication for the authoritative record.
Copyright in original materials remains with the relevant government jurisdiction. AI-generated summaries and tagging are for educational purposes only, may contain inaccuracies, and must not be treated as legal documents. We welcome feedback for correction —