A MAN in his 50s had a lucky escape after becoming trapped in a silo on a Meatian property on Tuesday afternoon.
The man’s leg got caught in an auger while he was sweeping inside the silo at the farm, about 30km south-west of Swan Hill.
CFA was notified at 1.28pm of reports of a person trapped in a silo at the Meatian West Road property.
“Thankfully the silo had been emptied at the time,” a CFA spokesperson said.
CFA vehicles from Ultima and Goschen brigades went to scene with police, Ambulance Victoria and SES workers.
The crews found the man with his leg trapped and the scene was declared under control by 1.57pm.
The man was freed from the silo, treated by paramedics and flown to Bendigo in a stable condition with lower-body injuries.
WorkSafe was investigating.
Silo safety
WorkSafe says working with silos can be dangerous and even the most experienced farmers can be injured.
Farmers are seriously injured or killed every year while working on or inside silos.
The three biggest reasons are falls from heights, being overcome by oxygen-depleting fumes or dust, or getting dragged into augers.
Farmers are responsible for identifing associated hazards, explained in WorkSafe’s compliance code for confined spaces.
Farmers are expected to control any risk associated with work in confined spaces, so far as reasonably practicable.
