Timber worker Corey Amohanga, who died after being hit by falling timber at a Nelson sawmill, had worked for the company for more than 20 years.

Emergency services were called to the Waimea Sawmillers in Beatty St, Tahunanui, at 12.30pm yesterday.

Police said Mr Amohanga, 42, had been working alone and the cause of the accident was unknown.

A St John Ambulance spokesman said Mr Amohanga was declared dead at the scene after being hit by falling timber.

Waimea Sawmill managing director Scott Gibbons said he had been an employee for more than 20 years.

"At this point we are committed to providing whatever support is required to the family, our staff, and our staff's family. Family and staff are our main priority."

The sawmill is not in production today.

The accident is now being investigated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's labour group.

The company would be doing everything it could to help with that, Mr Gibbons said. The ministry is not commenting.

Information on the OSH website says investigations are done when someone is killed or seriously harmed at a place of work.

This was "to identify why people were harmed, and what could have been done to prevent this".

While Mr Amohanga was not a union member, EPMU wood sector secretary Rawiri Daniels said the workplace accident was a tragedy. He said in his experience timber was often stacked four packets high, with each 1.4 to 1.6-metres high.

But this varied at different sites and some could be higher.

- © Fairfax NZ News