A shipping company's breach of health and safety laws resulted in a fatal workplace accident in which an experienced welder died.
James Byrne was killed instantly on June 6th, 2018 when a six metre steel column fell on top of him shortly after he had been using a blow torch to separate it from a larger metal structure.
An investigation was carried out by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), which subsequently brought charges against the Doyle Shipping Group Unlimited with an address at Ocean Pier, Alexandra Road, Dublin 1.
The company pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to failing to manage work activities, specifically the dismantling of a steel hopper at the McKearns Yard, at Ocean Pier, in a way to ensure the safety and health of employees, as a consequence of which Mr Byrne suffered personal injury and died.
The court heard that that steel hopper is a large metal construction larger than a typical house and used in the offloading of grain from ships. Mr Byrne had been given the job of dismantling the hopper in the shipping yard and had been doing this since April 2018.
Danger zone
The HSA investigation found that the method used to dismantle the bars had made it necessary for Mr Byrne to work in “a danger zone”. HSA Inspector Frank Kearns said that it would have required more than one man to carry out the work in a safe manner and the dismantling was later finished using three men.
Shane Murphy SC, defending, told the court that the company was stunned by the fatality. He said Mr Byrne was a very highly valued and respected employee and regarded as a person of immense experience.
He said that the company has since made extensive investments to ensure an accident never happens again, including purchasing a crane simulator to train staff in using cranes and initiating a system of weekly safety management meetings.
He said as a mark of the esteem the father of two was held in, the company continued to pay his salary and overtime to his partner. Judge Pauline Codd adjourned the case to December 9th for finalisation.
