A 66-year-old contractor who died from severe head injuries after falling from a height was working on a “very poorly constructed” makeshift platform provided by a client, an inquest has heard.
Dublin District Coroner’s Court was told on Tuesday that prosecutions were secured against both the owner and operations manager of Frank Dooley Timber Products, an industrial premises on the Monasterevin Road in Athy, Co Kildare, following the death of John Flood.
Mr Flood had been contracted by operations manager Frank Dooley jnr to carry out works including clearing and repairing gutters of the roof when he fell from a height of about four metres on March 25th, 2019.
Mr Flood was provided with an improvised platform, the height of which was adjusted using a forklift. The inquest heard the forklift was not certified or examined as required.
Adrian Breslin, who was operating the forklift used on the day of the fall, recalled Mr Flood asking him to bring a spare battery for his drill so that he could repair a loose screw in one of the handrails at the top of the platform.
On returning, he said, he heard Mr Flood shout “Jesus Christ” and then saw him fall head first. Mr Breslin believed Mr Flood may have tripped on a roof ladder or tools while using the platform.
He described Mr Flood as being unconscious on the ground, bleeding and struggling to breathe.
Two ambulances arrived before it was decided Mr Flood would be airlifted to Tallaght University Hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
Five days later, on March 30th, the father of six succumbed to his injuries, which included several fractures, including that of his skull.
No safety equipment, such as head protection, was provided to or used by Mr Flood.
The inquest heard that, three days before the incident, an employee of a neighbouring business reported seeing two men on the roof, one of whom she recognised as Mr Flood. She said she took a photo and sent it to gardaí as she felt it was “dangerous”.
Mr Flood’s fall sparked a Health and Safety Authority inspection, with inspector Roddy Molloy saying the platform used was unsuitable for any circumstances, as it was “very poorly constructed”.
He presented a photo of the platform that showed a detached handrail hanging from where Mr Flood fell.
“That platform should have never been there,” he said.
Mr Molloy told the inquest Mr Dooley snr and his son were prosecuted for breaches of health and safety legislation.
The medical cause of death was recorded by coroner Dr Clare Keane as cranio-cerebral trauma secondary to a fall, while a jury returned a verdict of workplace-related fatality.
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