Wheelock Farms Limited fined €500 following a fatal accident where a contractor fell from a height with fatal consequences

Today, Thursday 27 th  November at Gorey District Court, Judge John Cheatle imposed a fine of €500 on Wheelock Farms Limited following a fatal work-related incident which occurred at Moneyhore, Davidstown, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford on 24th June 2023. Judge Cheatle fined the company in relation to one of four charges, while taking another three into account. The incident resulted in a contractor falling from a height while completing work on an extension of an existing agricultural building. Wheelock Farms Limited had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges in breach of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and two further charges in breach of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013. The company pleaded guilty to Regulation 6(1)(a) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 contrary to Section 77(2)(c) in that Wheelock Farms Limited as a Client failed to appoint a Project Supervisor for the Design Process for the construction of an extension to an agricultural shed. The company also pleaded guilty to Regulation 6(1)(b) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 contrary to Section 77(2)(c) in that Wheelock Farms Limited as a Client failed to appoint a Project Supervisor for the Construction stage of the construction of an extension to an agricultural shed. The company also pleaded guilty to Regulation 19(5) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 contrary to Section 77(2)(c) in that Wheelock Farms Limited failed to identify the hazards of working at height on the construction of an extension to an agricultural shed, assess the risks associated with those hazards and complete a written risk assessment. The company also pleaded guilty to Regulation 15(3) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 contrary to Section 77(2)(c) in that Wheelock Farms Limited failed to ensure that there were adequate and appropriate safe systems of work in place for working at height and that no control measures such as a harness system, netting, guardrails, or access platforms from underneath were in place.