A company has been fined €3,000 for not having safe scaffolding in place on a north Galway construction site when a plasterer tragically fell to his death.
Pádraig Daly (52), a married man, Knockatee, Dunmore, was working as a plasterer on a construction site in Williamstown, Co Galway, in November 2005, when he fell about 20 feet. He died from his injuries.
Dunmore District Court heard this week that an inspection of the scaffold the week before the incident showed it to be compliant with building regulations but that it was apparently altered some time after that.
Wheelmount Ltd, Corrib Hostel, Camp Street, Oughterard, which owned the site and was the main contractor on the residential development, pleaded guilty to two offences. The company was brought to court by the National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health for not having proper safety measures in place relating to scaffolding.
Investigating inspector for the authority Gregory Murphy said there were no witnesses to what had happened.
Mr Murphy told Judge Geoffrey Browne that during his inspection at the site, he found a number of problems with the erected scaffolding, which reduced its effectiveness. There was no loading bay, hand rails and toe boards were missing. There weren't enough ledges used. He said this all greatly weakened the overall structure.
Solicitor for Wheelmount Ltd Kevin McNamara said his client accepted overall responsibility for the safe design and erection of scaffolding.
He said the scaffold was erected and designed as per the required regulations but that alterations were carried out at the end of the scaffold where the accident happened. It had been inspected a week before the incident and everything was in order.
Judge Browne described the tragedy as "a most unfortunate incident" and handed down two fines of €1,500 each. He made an order for €500 costs.