Company fined €750,000 over fatal workplace fall

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

A company has been fined €750,000 over a fatal fall from height in a workplace.

In Dublin Circuit Court, Judge Orla Crowe fined Ove Arup and Partners Ltd €1,500,000 but this was reduced to €750,000 due to mitigating factors, including early plea and charitable donations.

The fatal incident occurred on the morning of September 23rd, 2019 where a worker, whilst in the process of undertaking a pre-install survey for the installation of telecommunication cables in a plant room located on the sixth floor of the building, stepped on to a fragile surface.

The fragile surface that sealed a vertical service duct gave way and the worker fell from a height.

Mark Cullen, assistant chief executive of the Health and Safety Authority, said: “Where there is a known risk in a workplace, in this case working from height, employers in control of that workplace have a duty to ensure that the appropriate precautions are in place.

“This will protect employees and others who may be carrying out work activity at the place of work under their control.

“Failure by the employer in this case as led to the tragic death of a worker.

“We urge employers to carry out risk assessments and engage with their employees and others to ensure that incidents like this one are prevented.”