Alex

Alex Traill – SCI Australia Ambassador

Alex Traill went out to work one day and didn’t come home for three months. He was 23 years old with three children under five.

As an overhead linesman working for NSW State Rail, Alex was accustomed to doing difficult jobs under dangerous circumstances. In 1976 he was balanced high on a ten metre ladder carrying out maintenance on the 1500 volt overhead power structure immediately above the main railway line at Penrith in Sydney’s outer west. As in all routine maintenance situations the power lines were still ‘live’ - cutting off the power source for safety reasons would also bring the train services to a halt. Although he was working in a safe area and taking all the usual precautions, Alex was suddenly hit with a powerful jolt of electricity which threw him backwards off the ladder and onto the tracks below. He found himself lying across the lines with his legs bent underneath and his back badly twisted. As he struggled to determine where he was and how badly he was injured, workmates realised he was lying in the path of an approaching train and rushed to drag him clear. He was soon transported to the nearby Nepean Hospital where X-rays revealed the vertebrae at T/12 near the middle of his back had been completely smashed, badly damaging the spinal cord.

“In just a few seconds my accident took away my ability to walk and my chosen career path”, Alex said
“If workplace practices at the time had allowed me to wear a harness I would still be walking today. Those few seconds changed my life, and the lives of my wife and children, forever”, he said.

In the years since the accident Alex has improved his physical condition as much as possible and adapted to working fulltime from a wheelchair. He now works as the Regional Services Manager for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia in Wollongong. In this position he offers peer support, training opportunities and assistance in finding employment to others who are living with a spinal cord injury. Still happily married Alex offers inspirational support to those who sometimes struggle to rebuild their lives. He recently welcomed the opportunity to train as an ambassador, immediately recognising the importance of a prevention program based on real-life experiences.

“We simply want to encourage employees to take Occupational Health and Safety seriously. Sharing the life experiences of our ambassadors is an effective way of getting the message across. Most employees realise they need to accept responsibility for their own safety as well as keep an eye on their workmates. If we all work together I’m sure the incidence of workplace injury can be reduced”, Alex said.