Finding into death of Paul John Hinton
Deceased
Paul John Hinton
Demographics
54y, male
Date of death
2023-05-30
Finding date
2026-06-30
Cause of death
Blunt force head trauma
AI-generated summary
Paul John Hinton, a 54-year-old experienced New Zealand-based mechanic, died on 30 May 2023 after being crushed by a Ford Territory vehicle while performing suspension maintenance work at a residential property in Scoresby, Victoria. The vehicle's rear wheels had been removed and the vehicle was supported by mechanical jacks under the rear axles, while the front wheels remained attached but were not chocked. The driveway had a slight slope. While Mr Hinton worked underneath, the vehicle rolled and fell off the jacks, fatally crushing him. Fire Rescue Victoria confirmed the mechanism. There were no suspicious circumstances. The coroner's review identified 70 similar deaths nationally over a decade, predominantly in male DIY mechanics. The coroner commended ongoing safety advocacy work by ACCC and WorkSafe Victoria, emphasising that current and wide-reaching safety education campaigns on DIY vehicle maintenance are vital to prevent such preventable deaths.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Front wheels not chocked despite slight driveway slope
- Vehicle supported only by mechanical jacks
- Rear wheels removed during suspension work
- Inadequate secondary support systems
Coroner's recommendations
- Ensure DIY vehicle maintenance and repair safety messaging remains current and is delivered through a wide variety of media channels
- Continue liaison between WorkSafe Victoria and ACCC to promote and amplify safe DIY vehicle maintenance awareness
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