A fragile surface which was similar in appearance to its surrounding area was known to pose a hazard more than a year before a worker fell 24 metres to his death, an inquest has heard.
John McCann, a fibre optic technician for Total Splicing Solutions was supervising cabling work at the Ove Arup building in Ringsend, Co Dublin when he fell through a lightweight covering on a ventilation shaft at sixth-floor level in September 2019.
A sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday how the fragility of the floor had been discovered during the planning phase of the project, some 15 months before the 62-year-old’s death.
Kevin Broderick, an inspector with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), told the inquest that mitigation measures implemented by Ove Arup, an engineering consultancy firm, were different from those initially discussed and were never reviewed for adequacy.
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The inquest also heard how the material covering the opening which Mr McCann, a father of seven, fell through was the same colour as the surrounding non-fragile surfaces and gave the impression of concrete.
However, it was composed of mortar and fire-resistant material, measuring about 60mm in total, though the inquest heard it should have measured at least 150mm, which would have been able to support 200kg per sq m.
Although there was signage in the room, Mr Broderick described a do not enter sign as “totally inadequate” as it gave no information concerning the location of the fragile surface.
While there was a barricade erected near the space, it was lightweight and easily moved and was similar to those “normally seen in shopping markets for wet floors,” he said.
The inquest heard that the plastic barricade was moved aside by Ian Moore, a colleague of Mr McCann, while they were searching for the pre-existing cable route.
Mr Moore said he did not anticipate any danger at the time, and had easily lifted and moved the small plastic barrier away from the fragile surface, which he said had no warning on it.
“There should have been a structural thing there to stop him,” he said.
Mr McCann stepped on the fragile surface and immediately fell 24 metres to the basement floor.
“He disappeared through the floor straight in front of me,” said Vincent McGrane, another colleague, adding that they could not see anything except for dust following his fall. “At that stage, we didn’t realise how far he had fallen.”
When asked by coroner Aisling Gannon if there was anything that might suggest a hazard, Mr McGrane replied: “Absolutely not.”
Dublin Fire Brigade drilled through a concrete wall to access Mr McCann at the base of the vent and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The medical cause of death of Mr McCann of Donard, Co Wicklow was recorded as acute traumatic injuries consistent with a fall from a height.
A jury of five men and five women returned a verdict of misadventure.
Ove Arup was previously found guilty of two breaches of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 and fined €750,000.
Following improvement notices from the HSA, which the inquest heard Arup “comprehensively responded” to, a secure, fixed metal barrier has since been installed which warns of danger while yellow paint has been used to distinguish the surface.
The company also carried out a worldwide survey of their buildings.
On behalf of Ove Arup, barrister Brian Gageby extended the company’s “deepest sympathies” to the family.
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