fine after fatal fall at airport

SwiSSport ireland Limited was fined €250,000 after it admitted failing to ensure the safety and welfare of people at work, following a fatal accident that occurred on the 24th of November 2018 at Dublin Airport.

An employee suffered personal injuries and died when he fell from a height whilst carrying out cargo offloading operations.

The company had pleaded guilty to two charges, in that they failed to manage and conduct work activities in such a way as to ensure the safety of employees and they failed to provide systems of work that were planned, organised, performed and maintained.

richard Gracey (64), of Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was unloading cargo on November 24th, 2018 when he fell 5m to the ground and suffered fatal injuries. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the main deck loader, a moving platform for unloading cargo, was 2.7m away from the aircraft door when Mr Gracey fell and that this gap should have been no more than three inches. The court heard there was a failure to police safety measures that would normally be in place.