Civil engineering firm Denis Moriarty The Kerries Limited has been fined €220,000, following a guilty plea to breaches of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
The case arose following an incident on 12 December 2016, at the construction site of Derrysallagh Windfarm, Glen, Co Sligo. The construction of a temporary floating road on the construction site triggered a land slide of peat. As a result, an employee suffered fatal injuries.
The company pleaded guilty to breaches of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 in that it failed to:
Mark Cullen, Assistant Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), said:
"Employers have a duty to ensure that workers are protected from any potential hazards that arise in their workplace. Failure to do so in this case has regrettably led to the fatal injury of an employee.
"We would ask all employers to carry out risk assessments and ensure that the precautionary measures to ensure safety are in place before any work commences. We also urge employers to have a system of work in place and that it is clearly communicated to all workers."
