Courts / Dublin / Report

Company fined €30k after employee was fatally struck by manhole cover

Date
2016-05-12
Stage
Hearing Or Decision
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

In 2016 a Wicklow civil engineering company, RSJ Civil Ltd, was fined €30,000 after a fatal incident on Kill Avenue, Dun Laoghaire. Polish worker Grzegorz Burczak, aged 31, was struck to death by a manhole cover when a traffic cone that had been knocked over by a passing car detached and hit the cover. The company had failed to provide adequate warning signs, a safety exclusion zone, or sufficient traffic cones. RSJ had entered a plea of guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for failing to ensure the safety, health and welfare of its employees during work on manhole covers. The court accepted that the accident was largely due to human error and a lapse in training, and noted the company's cooperation and regret. The company subsequently completed a full health and safety review and engaged a consultant to improve its systems. The incident was described as an unavoidable and unnecessary loss of human life.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Company fined €30k after employee was fatally struck by manhole cover. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention
Residence
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Address Area
  • Kill Avenue

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

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