Eddie Fowler,28,was killed when a scaffold board blew off scaffolding in high winds causing massive head injures.
G & T Crampton was fined €100,000 for the man’s death
Dublin Criminal Court heard that the accident happened during the construction of Charlestown Center in Finglas in January 2007. Mr Fowler was on his way to his tea break when he was struck on the head by the flying scaffold board.
On the day of the incident record high winds were recorded and severe weather warning were issued.
A Health and Safety inspector said workers should not of been allowed into that section of the site.
It was only after Mr Fowler was struck by the scaffold board that the decision to evacuate the site was taken.
The court heard that T & G Crampton was aware of problems with scaffold boards blowing off in lesser winds and would of been aware of the severe weather warnings issued.
T & G Crampton apologised and expressed its ‘profound regret’ for the death of Mr Fowler.
Judge Martin Nolan said “This was a very sad case and added that the company had made the wrong judgement on the day to allow workers on the site while knowing the risks of scaffold boards being lifted by the extreme weather on the day.”
Mr Fowler’s mother and his widow said the company had ‘walked away’. The fine amounted to two years’ salary for a worker, they said, asking if that was the price put on a life.
