Ballynahinch glass company Glas-Seal (NI) Ltd is fined £30,000 and told death of employee Terry Kilmartin was 'entirely preventable and could have been avoided'
A Ballynahinch glass company has been fined £30,000 and told that the death of an employee at work was "entirely preventable and could have been avoided".
Glas-Seal (NI) Ltd was fined at Downpatrick Crown Court yesterday after a case was brought by The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).
The company’s employee Terry Kilmartin, 65, was fatally injured while working at the company’s premises in Ballynahinch on 19 May 2022. A large pack of glass (known in industry as an 'end-cap') collapsed and struck him.
The company pleaded guilty to a single breach of health and safety legislation.
HSENI Inspector, Sophie Pearson, said: “Employers have a legal duty to provide a safe working environment and to implement appropriate control measures when handling heavy loads and materials such as packs of glass or 'end-caps'. The handling and storage of large packs of glass presents significant risks, and it is essential that these risks are thoroughly assessed and managed to prevent serious incidents.
“This accident was entirely preventable and could have been avoided if suitable control measures had been in place to safely secure the large packs of glass. It is critical that businesses handling large heavy goods and materials, ensure that storage processes and safe systems of work are adequate and that employees are suitably trained to safely work with and process these heavy loads.
“HSENI will not hesitate to take enforcement action against companies that fail to prioritise employee safety, especially in high-risk environments and will continue to work closely with prosecutors in the Public Prosecution Service to have these companies brought before the courts.”
The HSENI investigation found that Glas-Seal (NI) Ltd failed to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment for the storage, handling, and processing of large glass packs.
The company did not have sufficient measures in place to ensure safe storage of the end-caps, which posed a significant hazard. It also failed to ensure that employees were properly trained to manage these risks.
Mr Kilmartin was a father-of-two who also had five grandchildren. He sadly passed away in hospital a few days after the work place accident.