Crane driver dies on NSW building site

A crane driver who died after falling about 10m at a building site in North Sydney was standing in for a colleague attending the funeral of another man killed in a workplace accident.

The crane driver, 66-year-old Martin Hall, was killed at the Leightons site on the Pacific Highway on Wednesday afternoon.

"We're not sure if he fell or had a heart attack," CFMEU NSW secretary Brian Parker told AAP.

"He was on the tower that leads up to the crane and could have fallen 10 to 15 metres."

Mr Hall was covering for a colleague who was at the funeral of a man who died after his truck touched powerlines in Sydney's west last Friday.

Mr Parker said he believed Mr Hall was from Ingleburn in Sydney's south west.

The death follows a man being killed after he was struck in the head by a falling pipe at a Redfern demolition site in inner Sydney on Friday.

"It just goes to show just how bad it is," Mr Parker said.

"I've said and will continue to say, you will see more deaths and serious injuries in the workplace if the industry continues to move towards self regulation and people take shortcuts."

The accident led to the southbound closure of the Pacific Highway between Berry Street and Miller Street.