One of the country's largest structural engineering firms has been ordered to pay €50,000 in fines and costs arising out of an accident during the building of a bridge in which three workers were injured by a falling beam.
Ascon Ltd of Little Island, Co Cork, was fined €12,500 on each of two charges arising out of the accident during construction on the bridge over the river Tourig as part of the Youghal bypass in Co Cork on March 19th, 2002.
The company was also ordered by Judge Patrick Moran at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday to pay a further €25,000 in expenses to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), which investigated and prepared the case on the accident.
Last week Ascon formally pleaded guilty to failing to prepare a safety and health plan specifying the work on the bridge. The project involved a risk to persons at work, in particular the assembly of heavy pre-cast concrete beams.
The company also pleaded guilty to failing to install and maintain temporary guys, stays, supports and fixings to prevent danger from the collapse of any part of a particular structure.
HSA inspector John Hyde told prosecution barrister Donal McCarthy said the bridge works were closed from the accident in March 2002, until September 2002. The company co-operated fully with the HSA investigation.
Judge Patrick Moran noted that the three men had not been injured very seriously, and civil claims were resolved satisfactorily. He said the guilty plea had spared the State the need to assemble many professional witnesses.
