SafeWork SA said a worker on a drill site on Yorke Peninsula suffered upper body and pelvic injuries yesterday after being struck by a pipe and lifted two metres into the air.

He was a member of a contract drilling team working on a private property and was airlifted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment.

SafeWork SA inspectors issued a prohibition notice on the drill rig and opened a formal investigation.

Executive director Michele Patterson said the current surge in mineral exploration activity in South Australia must not be accompanied by a rise in work-related injuries.

"We understand that business is booming in the drilling industry, but taking shortcuts on safety in this type of work is simply asking for trouble," she said.

"Given the size of the machinery being operated, the amount of movement involved and the varying site conditions, drilling teams face many safety hazards that need to be very tightly managed."