Courts / Dublin / Report
'Industry leader' and cargo firm fined combined €450k after dad-of-four run over at port
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, the container‑handling manufacturer Scruttons (NI) Ltd and the Swedish firm Kalmar Solutions AB were fined a combined €450,000 for breaches of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act. The fines followed the fatal 2019 incident in which 55‑year‑old haulier Nicholas Collier was run over by a Kalmar container handler at Dublin Port. The court heard that the handler's design created blind spots and that neither company had carried out adequate risk assessments or provided sufficient safety devices to mitigate restricted visibility. Kalmar pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the machine was safe, while Scruttons pleaded guilty to failing to identify, assess and document the hazard. The judge imposed €150,000 on Kalmar and €300,000 on Scruttons, with a six‑month payment deadline. The case highlighted the companies' responsibility for workplace safety and the need for proper risk management.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Industry leader' and cargo firm fined combined €450k after dad-of-four run over at port. Charges or matters: failing to ensure that the Kalmar container handler was designed and constructed to be safe and without risk to health, by failing to provide appropriate devices on it to remedy hazards due to restricted visibility from the driving position; failure as an employer to identify a hazard in relation to the operation of the handler, to assess the risks presented by the hazard and be in possession of a written assessment of the risks to the safety, health and welfare of individuals other than its employees. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- August 14, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2025-03-24 Publication
Why: Mr McMahon explained that such machines will have blind spots caused by the mast but that they ought to be dealt with by a risk assessment. CNI source report
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: failing to ensure that the Kalmar container handler was designed and constructed to be safe and without risk to health, by failing to provide appropriate devices on it to remedy hazards due to restricted visibility from the driving position; failure as an employer to identify a hazard in relation to the operation of the handler, to assess the risks presented by the hazard and be in possession of a written assessment of the risks to the safety, health and welfare of individuals other than its employees (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: The "industry leader" in manufacturing container handlers and a cargo firm have been fined a total of €450,000 for breaches of Health and Safety Regulations which came to light after a Dublin father-of-four was run over in Dublin Port.
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