Cooney Furlong Limited was today (Friday May 8) fined a total of €100,000 at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court, following a fatal work-related incident.

Judge Cormac Quinn fined the agri-company in relation to the incident which took place at Dranagh, Caim, Enniscorthy in Co. Wexford on March 15, 2021.

The fatal incident had occurred at a grain store premises.

According to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) an employee of Cooney Furlong Limited had been fatally injured when he was struck by a loading shovel as he walked across a yard.

The company had earlier pleaded guilty to Section 8(2)(a) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005, contrary to Section 77(9)(a) - in that "it failed in their duty to ensure the provision of appropriate controls and measures in respect of moving vehicles and pedestrians and failed to ensure the segregation of pedestrians from vehicles".

The company also pleaded guilty to Section 19 (1) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005, contrary to Section 77(2) in that "it failed to undertake a written risk assessment and implement appropriate measures and controls following the provision and use of a large custom made front loading bucket attachment which adversely affected the forward facing visibility of the operative of the loading shovel".

Eibhlin O'Leary, assistant chief executive of the HSA said the tragic incident resulted in the loss of a worker’s life and "serves as a stark reminder of the serious dangers posed by moving vehicles in workplaces".

"Failure to do so can lead to grave and devastating consequences," O'Leary added.

HSA

Last month the HSA marked Workers’ Memorial Day in Ireland, which is a national day that remembers those who have died, been injured or made seriously ill as a result of work.

According to the HSA from 2016 to 2025, 456 people in Ireland have died in work-related incidents.