Company fined €750,000 after fatal fall from height in workplace

On Monday, 26th June 2023, in Dublin Circuit Court, Judge Orla Crowe fined a construction services company €1,500,000. Due to mitigating factors, including early plea and charitable donations, the fine was reduced to €750,000. The company had earlier pleaded guilty to Count 2, Section 12 contrary to Section 77 (9) (a) and Count 3, Section 8 (2) (c) (i) related to Section 77(2)(a) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005.

The fatal incident occurred on the morning of 23rd September 2019 when a worker stepped on a fragile surface that sealed a vertical service duct. The surface 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. We urge employers to carry out risk assessments and engage with their employees and others to ensure that incidents like this one are prevented.”