PICTURED: ‘Family man’, 39, who was electrocuted while working on a power pole in Sydney is remembered as a ‘quiet, wise man who will be severely missed’
- Ausgrid worker has died from an electric shock while working on a power pole
- Robert Nicholls, 39, was replacing a low-voltage pole in Sydney’s north shore
- Paramedics treated him on the scene and took him to hospital where he died
- The tragedy comes days after a tradie, 18, was crushed to death by scaffolding
An Ausgrid worker who died after suffering an electric shock while working on a power pole has been remembered by colleagues as a quiet but devoted family man.
Robert Nicholls, 39, was replacing a low-voltage power pole at Riverview Street in Riverview in Sydney’s lower north shore on Tuesday just before noon when he was injured.
Paramedics treated Mr Nicholls on the scene and rushed him to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition, where he later died.
The tragedy occurred just one day after 18-year-old tradie apprentice Christopher Cassaniti was crushed to death when nine storeys of scaffolding fell on him at a semi-completed block of flats in Macquarie Park in Sydney’s north-west on Monday.
Robert Nicholls (pictured) was replacing a low-voltage power pole when he was electrocuted
Mr Nicholls was part of a crew replacing the power poles situated along the suburban streets when the workplace tragedy occurred.
Shane Lyons was Mr Nicholls’ mentor at Ausgrid.
‘He was always a quiet man who kept his thoughts to himself but when he spoke, you always listened because he always spoke with a bit of wisdom,’ Mr Lyons told Daily Mail Australia.
‘He is definitely a family man. He had a love for his wife and family. He would move heaven and earth for his family.’
‘He would move heaven and earth for his family,’ Robert Nicholls’ (pictured) Ausgrid mentor Shane Lyons told Daily Mail Australia
Shocked colleagues are struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.
‘We’re all lost for words. No one knows what to say,’ My Lyons told Daily Mail Australia.
‘It really hit home. When you work closely with someone, they pretty much become your family. For me, it was like losing a family member. He’s going to be severely missed. It won’t ever be the same.’
Mr Nicholls was a member of the Electrical Trades Union.
‘Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues at this tragic time,’ union secretary Justin Page said in a statement.
SafeWork NSW will prepare a report for the coroner following the death of Robert Nicholls (pictured) on Tuesday
An Ausgrid spokeswoman expressed sympathy and said the company had offered assistance to Mr Nicholls’ family.
‘We are providing support and counselling to his colleagues who were on site with him on the day,’ the statement read.
SafeWork NSW inspectors confirmed they are investigating fatal incident.
‘SafeWork NSW inspectors are investigating following an incident at Riverview Road, Riverview yesterday where a 39-year-old energy supply worker working from a cherry-picker suffered a fatal electric shock,’ executive director Tony Williams told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Robert Nicholls, 39, was replacing a low-voltage power pole at Riverview Street (pictured) in Riverview in Sydney’s lower north shore on Tuesday before midday
‘SafeWork NSW will prepare a report for the coroner.’
Mr Nicholls was employed by the electricity company through their Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island pre-apprenticeship program in partnership with TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute.
On Monday, Christopher Cassiniti, 18, died when a 15-metre tower of scaffolding collapsed on top of him.
The scaffolding also fell top of another worker, a 39-year-old father. It is understood he remains in a critical condition at Royal North Shore Hospital.
On Monday, Christopher Cassiniti (pictured left with mum), 18, died when a 15-metre tower of scaffolding collapsed on top of him
Distraught colleagues desperately tried to free Christopher from the collapsed scaffolding