Kilkenny Electrical Firm Hit With €5k Fine

Kilkenny firm David Mulcahy Electrical Ltd has been struck with a €5,000 fine over two health and safety breaches.

The company pleaded guilty to two charges in breach of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 at Kilkenny District Court yesterday, Tuesday 26 April.

On 03 December 2020, a Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP) being used to install electrical facade lighting to the Paris Texas public house on High Street, Kilkenny City, suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed on to the public footpath. As a result, an employee of David Mulcahy Electrical Ltd suffered serious injuries. 


David Mulcahy Electrical Ltd, the owner of the platform failed to ensure the provision and maintenance of safe plant and equipment, and failed to ensure that work equipment, in particular the Mobile Elevated Work Platform, was examined by a competent person during the preceding six-month period. 

David Mulcahy Electrical Ltd pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 8(2)(c)(iii) contrary to Section 77(9)(a) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 and Regulation 52(3) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 contrary to Section 77(9)(a) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. 

Mark Cullen, Assistant Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority, said: "This was a serious incident that could very easily have resulted in a fatality. Working at height is a known high-risk activity and it is vital that before the commencement of any work activity, employers and duty holders must make sure the required safety precautions are in place to protect those carrying out the work."