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Jorge Castillo-RiffoPrint Page Print this page

24-September-2020
24-September-2020

Photographs supplied by Stephen Warren
The plaque commemorates Jorge Castillo-Riffo who died in 2014 during construction of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Jorge Castillo-Riffo, 54, was fatally crushed while working on a scissor lift at the site in November, 2014. The South Australian coroner recommended at the inquest in 2018, that scissor lifts should not be used without a spotter until national safety standards were introduced. 

In her opening statement on Monday, assisting counsel Kathryn Waite said Castillo-Riffo was found trapped between the lift and a wall while he was “patching” the third-floor slab.

She said Castillo-Riffo’s partner will give evidence that he had been nervous and did not feel safe undertaking the work. Castillo-Riffo, a worker described by Waite as experienced and capable, was working alone and was not found for up to 15 minutes following the incident. 

He suffered a serious brain injury due to lack of blood flow and died in hospital the following day.

Waite said she hoped Castillo-Riffo had not died because work to complete the behind-schedule project had been rushed and corners had been cut. “How is it, in this day and age, with all we know about risk analysis and safety in the workplace, that we still have people like Mr Castillo-Riffo who never get to go home from work?” she asked.
InDaily (SA), 19 March 2018. 

Location

Address:Port Road, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, 5000
State:SA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -34.921213
Long: 138.585612
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Plaque
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Tragedy
Actual Event Start Date:27-November-2014
Actual Event End Date:27-November-2014

Dedication

Front Inscription

In memory of Jorge Castillo-Riffo

Died on site of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital during construction

27 / 11 / 2014  Aged 54 yrs

A man loved and loving

A worker who stood for the rights and safety of all

 

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au