The construction industry is by its very nature one of the most dangerous work environments. Directors and managers of construction companies have a particularly difficult task compared with other industries that only involve, for example, office workers. The court case this week related to the death Polish construction worker Czeslav Malinowski illustrates the challenges. Malinowski died following a fall on Roscommon town’s main street in April 2006.
Malinowski was employed by Owencrest Properties Ltd, directed by John Doyle, and working on a project by Roscommon Building Company Ltd, directed by Noel Doyle. The directors and companies pleaded guilty to various offenses under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and were find 350,000 euro.
In a lesson to all employers, it was noted in court that the companies involved had good health and safety records and the directors were clearly distressed by the accident that resulted in the death of an employee.