Two construction executives have this month pleaded not guilty to 14 charges, following the death of a County Down teenager on his first day at work on a construction site. Leslie Wright from Wright and Son Contractors and Joseph Murray, director of MMM Design and Build appeared at Newtownards Crown Court over the death of Phillip Mulholland.
The 17 year old from Manse Way, Millisle, was killed in February 2005 after a wall collapsed on top of him at a demolition site in Newtownards where he was working. Wright faced 10 charges in total, including a failure to conduct a safe system of work for employees, five-asbestos related charges and a failure to plan and prevent danger when carrying out demolition or dismantling work. Murray faced three charges relating to safety standards. Both men were jointly charged with arranging for a contractor without being satisfied that he had allocated adequate resources. The case has been listed for review on 12 October 2007.
This tragic incident highlights the dangers associated with building sites and demonstrates the importance for employers to maintain stringent health and safety standards to ensure the protection of their employees. It also emphasises the relevance of the recently published Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, which will see companies and other large organisations facing prosecution when their gross negligence leads to the death of individuals.
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