A young worker killed in a forklift accident in southwest Sydney had only started the job a few weeks ago.

The Vietnamese man, believed to be in his 20s, became trapped beneath the forklift while working at a business on Powdrill Rd in Prestons about 5.40am on Friday.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Man killed after being trapped under forklift.

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Emergency services arrived to find him pinned under the heavy machinery with critical injuries.

Despite the efforts of paramedics, he died at the scene from his injuries.

He has not yet been formally identified.

The incident shocked nearby residents, with some saying the way the business operates made a tragedy like this almost inevitable.

“I was shocked when I came down the street,” nearby resident Michael Hobbs told 7NEWS.

“But it’s something that’s always in the back of your mind — the way they operate, it was bound to happen.

“Crossing the road with forklifts and unloading on the streets … it’s not just them, it’s others on the street too. So it’s difficult to get up and down the road at times.”

Another nearby resident, Carlo Sannio, said he regularly saw forklifts and trucks being loaded on the road.

“It was something that was going to happen sooner or later because it’s (happening) all the time ... it was just a matter of time,” he said.

Peter Mycian, an experienced forklift driver at the same site, told 7NEWS that forklifts are often driven between two factories on either side of the road, but he had never seen any issues.

“I’ve never seen any incidents, any problems, any cars getting in the way. They’re pretty good — they always watch out for everybody,” he said.

He acknowledged forklifts can be dangerous if not used properly.

“They’re machines — they can definitely be dangerous — but if you know how to operate one and you’ve got your licence, which I do, I don’t see that they’re a dangerous piece of equipment.

“It’s my best friend because it saves all the heavy lifting. So they are definitely a good piece of equipment, but they can be dangerous as well if not operated properly.”

A crime scene has been established and investigations are ongoing, NSW Police said.

SafeWork NSW has been notified and a report will be prepared for the coroner.