The family of an Adelaide man who died in 2018 is hoping a coronial inquest will provide answers about his death, which they say followed years of "relentless" workplace bullying.
WARNING: This article discusses issues which may distress some readers.
Peter Howard died in a car fire outside the Orora packaging plant in Athol Park, in Adelaide's north-west, in August 2018.
Mr Howard's family members said they believed his unexpected death had been a suicide, but the inquest today heard the court would not be proceeding under that "assumption".
In opening submissions today, the Coroner's Court heard Mr Howard kept diaries for close to two decades, detailing incidents of workplace bullying at the company.
Those incidents included being "screamed at" by co-workers, being called names, spoken to in a sarcastic manner, having machinery interfered with and being repeatedly poked in the ribs.
One diary entry detailed an incident in which chilli flakes were put into Mr Howard's unattended water bottle.
The court heard the co-worker responsible later personally apologised to Mr Howard after the matter was reported to management.
Family wants answers about death
Speaking outside court before the inquest, Mr Howard's sister, Carmel Schwartz, said her family had "no answers about his death".
"Peter was a really lovely, kind and gentle soul … [who] adored his family," she said.
"We believe Peter was the victim of relentless workplace bullying and it was never appropriately addressed.
"He suffered absolute humiliation at work, and I don't understand why there hasn't been any prosecution and we're here today to try to seek some answers.
"I actually think workplace bullying is rife in Australia … and I think it should be stamped out and there should be better procedures in place to help people appropriately deal with it."
Ms Schwartz said her family believed Mr Howard's unexpected death had been a suicide.
"Peter was in a good place in his marriage and in his family, financially was quite settled, and it just came out of the blue," she said.
"Not any one of us thought he would make the decision that he did."
Court not going to assume suicide
SafeWork SA investigated Mr Howard's death, but found there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a prosecution.
Council assisting the coroner Peter Longson, told the court the inquest would be examining the "assumption" that Mr Howard had died by suicide.
Mr Longson said Mr Howard attended work on the morning of his death, but later left the site to purchase plastic fuel containers, which he was then seen on CCTV filling at a nearby petrol station.
The court heard co-workers reported hearing a loud explosion outside the Orora site at approximately 9:20am that morning.
Mr Howard died in the vehicle.
"There has been an assumption that Mr Howard took his own life," Mr Longson said.
"Though understandable and not unreasonable, that assumption is not based on anything but a routine examination of the vehicle.
"There was no note, no text message, no phone call … from Mr Howard that indicated he intended on taking his own life.
"This inquest will not commence on the assumption that Mr Howard took his own life … [because] if that assumption is wrong, any findings this court makes will be flawed.
"This inquest may find Mr Howard took his own life … but that will be made on the evidence."
Mr Longson told the court the circumstances of Mr Howard's death had been "extreme" and "unusual".
He told the court there had been no request made by the Director of Public Prosecutions to review the decision of SafeWork SA not to bring a prosecution.
"This inquest will not examine the decision of SafeWork SA not to bring a prosecution," Mr Longson said.
Mr Howard's employer Orora today extended its sympathies to his family, adding it takes the health, safety and wellbeing of its workers "extremely seriously".
Orora further noted that SafeWork SA had completed a "thorough investigation" and decided not to take action against the company.
"The company continues to invest in safety training including comprehensive programs for identifying and responding to bullying and supporting the mental and physical health of our people," a company spokesman said
"Orora does not tolerate any form of unsafe work practices."
'Sensitive' but not suicidal, doctor says
Mr Howard's GP of close to 30 years, Barry Nicholson, gave evidence that he had known his patient to suffer from anxiety, but that he had never presented as being at risk of suicide.
"I believe he had a personality where he … was a very sensitive person," Dr Nicholson said.
"I never saw him as … having any danger to himself or others."
The inquest is expected to continue for one week.
