Finding into death of Maurice Wayne Matthews
Deceased
Maurice Wayne Matthews
Demographics
70y, male
Date of death
2021-07-05
Finding date
2024-03-06
Cause of death
Mechanical asphyxia from being crushed under car
AI-generated summary
A 70-year-old retired diesel mechanic died from mechanical asphyxia after being crushed under a vehicle he was working on at home. He had positioned a jack on rocky, sloped gravel terrain, which became unstable and slid, causing the vehicle to shift and crush him. Despite his extensive mechanical experience and cautious nature, the inherent dangers of DIY vehicle maintenance without proper equipment and suitable working surfaces proved fatal. The coroner identified this as a preventable death and recommended renewed public safety campaigns by the ACCC and WorkSafe Victoria focused on safe DIY vehicle maintenance practices, emphasizing the critical importance of proper support equipment and appropriate work surfaces.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
Contributing factors
- Jack became unstable on rocky and sloped terrain
- Unsuitable ground surface for vehicle maintenance
- Jack slid causing vehicle to shift downwards
- DIY vehicle maintenance without professional equipment or support
Coroner's recommendations
- The ACCC consider renewing or creating a new educational campaign focussing on the safety in DIY motor vehicle maintenance and repairs
- WorkSafe Victoria consider again collaborating with the ACCC in its campaigns to promote safe DIY vehicle maintenance
Full text
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