A farmer has been fined €1,500 and prosecution costs of €1,500 under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations SI 291/2013 after an accident in November 2018.
The farmer pleaded guilty to the charges after a self-employed roofing contractor suffered personal injuries falling 22 feet when installing roof sheets on an agricultural building without any fall protection or fall prevention measures in place.
The farmer failed to appoint a Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS), which is part of compliance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations SI 291/2013.
Assistant Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority, Mark Cullen, commented that this accident highlighted the importance of taking the appropriate safety measures. He said:
"The self-employed roofing contractor suffered very serious injuries following an incident which could have been prevented if the appropriate steps were taken by the client. I strongly urge all clients and duty holders to prioritise safety on-site and ensure the necessary planning is undertaken and the required precautions are in place. Failure to do so in this situation led to very serious consequences for the worker concerned."
Are you wondering why we're discussing legislation in the Republic of Ireland? Watch this space...
