Wicklow Circuit Court has fined Glenveagh Contracting Limited €125,000 and KDK Scaffolding Limited €65,000 following a fatal work incident on a construction project at Marina Village, Greystones, Co Wicklow.

Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin delivered the penalties.

The case related to the death of Mr Gerry O'Connell, who had been working on Block E, building blockwork piers on level 5 scaffolding beside a staircore/curtainwall opening on 9 December 2019. He fell through an unprotected gap between a two‑board bracket and the structure, suffered very serious injuries and later died.

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Both companies had previously entered guilty pleas to single charges under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Glenveagh Contracting Limited admitted a breach of Section 12, contrary to Section 77(9)(a), for failing in its duty as an employer to properly manage site safety by allowing individuals who were not its employees to work from scaffolding that lacked edge protection, exposing them to a risk of falling.

KDK Scaffolding Limited pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 15(3), contrary to Section 77(9)(a), for failing to ensure the scaffolding erected at Block E was safe and without risk to health. The scaffold did not provide adequate edge protection and exposed persons working from it to a fall hazard.