Roofing Contractor given suspended sentences after two employees seriously injured in fall

Friday 29th June

Two 18 month suspended prison sentences were handed down to Mr Patrick Rooney, a roofing contractor today (Friday 29th June) by Judge Martin Nolan at the Criminal Courts, Parkgate Street, Dublin. Mr Rooney was before the Courts after an accident where two of his employees were seriously injured after falling through an 8 metre high roof. The workplace accident took place at Sunnymeade, the Ward, Co. Dublin on 17th July 2007.

Mr Rooney’s employees, Mr Armands Talents and Mr Sean Crowley, were removing asbestos corrugated roof sheeting when they fell through the roof to the floor of the grain shed below sustaining multiple injuries in the fall. There were no fall protection mechanisms in place at the time.

Mr Patrick Rooney pleaded guilty to the following charges:

Section 8(2) (e) Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Contrary to Section 77(2) (a) Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Failure to provide systems of work that were planned, organised, and performed as appropriate so as to be, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health. Penalty imposed: 18 months in prison suspended

Regulation 5(3) Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Work at Height) Regulations 2006. Contrary to Section 77(9) (a) Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Failure to take suitable and sufficient measures to prevent employees falling a distance liable to cause personal injury. Penalty imposed: 18 months in prison suspended

Speaking after the sentencing Martin O’Halloran, CEO of the Health and Safety Authority said, “The main failures in the case were the lack of fall protection mechanisms.  When working at height it is vital that activities are assessed for risk, planned correctly and the correct equipment is used at all times.”