A tragic workplace accident has claimed the life of Jun Jiang, a 37-year-old migrant worker from Jiangsu, China, who passed away after falling from a scissor lift in late December.
The incident occurred on December 28 at SD Aluminium’s Albany warehouse in Auckland, where Jiang was moving aluminum extrusions. He was rushed to Auckland City Hospital in critical condition and underwent surgery, but his condition did not improve. His life support was turned off at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, and he passed away three hours later.
Jiang had moved to New Zealand in late 2022 on an accredited employer work visa. He was later joined by his wife, Jia Fan, and their 8-year-old daughter, who arrived on a partner visa. Fan received a devastating call from one of Jiang’s co-workers, informing her of the accident.
A St John spokesperson confirmed that paramedics assessed Jiang at the scene before transporting him to the hospital. Meanwhile, WorkSafe New Zealand has launched an investigation into the incident and issued a non-disturbance notice to preserve the scene. A WorkSafe representative stated that they are working closely with SD Aluminium as part of their inquiries.
The company has refrained from commenting on the details of the accident, citing the ongoing investigation. However, a spokesperson assured that they are providing support to Jiang’s family during this difficult time.
Mike Treen, a former director of United Union, described the incident as a preventable tragedy, highlighting systemic workplace safety issues in New Zealand. “New Zealand has twice the rate of workplace accidents compared to Australia,” Treen noted. “Falls from heights are one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities and should not happen.”
According to WorkSafe data, 12 workers in New Zealand died from falls in the year ending June 2023, making it the second most common cause of workplace fatalities after vehicle-related incidents.
Jiang’s death serves as a real reminder of the urgent need for stronger safety measures to protect workers, particularly those in high-risk industries. Advocates are calling for more robust enforcement of workplace safety regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future.