A walker was lucky to escape serious harm when he was accidentally blasted “from head to toe” with concrete slurry as he stood near a coastal pathway project.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is investigating the freakish incident that happened at Moffat Beach.
A 66-year-old Caloundra man walking his dog at 10am Wednesday was about 3m outside the fenced off work site when a concrete hose being operated nearby jammed and exploded in his direction.
“It (the concrete slurry) hit him like a tonne of bricks,” a witness told Sunshine Coast News.
The man was driven backwards and left covered from head to toe in concrete, with people “rushing from everywhere to help”.
They sat him down and helped clear the concrete from his mouth and face.
A witness said the fact the man had sunglasses on had saved him from serious injury.
Bystanders called an ambulance and the man, along with the worker who had been holding the pump at the time, were both taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
The walker had X-rays, but was not found to have any fractures. He still had some particles in one eye and while he is not in hospital, medical examinations are ongoing.
SCN understands the worker was found to have a broken finger.
The dog, which escaped the brunt of the blast, was unharmed and cared for by bystanders.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland confirmed its investigators had commenced inquiries.
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson said the site was being managed by a contractor, who had been proactive in their response to the incident.
Given the matter was still under investigation, council was unable to comment further.
An upgrade is taking place at Moffat Beach on the region’s Coastal Pathway project and the popular area is also undergoing major rectification works after its seawall was damaged by a series of weather events earlier in the year.
Action is being taken to stabilise the wall to ensure public safety and allow time for a carefully designed, long-term solution.
The beach access and ramp will remain closed as these need to be completely rebuilt, which will occur during the second stage of major works later in the year.
