Belfast Harbour Commissioners Penalized £110,000 Following Worker Fatality

A penalty of £110,000 has been imposed on Belfast Harbour Commissioners due to a health and safety violation connected to the death of a father of two. Neil Rooney, a man in his thirties from Ballyhornan, County Down, sustained fatal injuries in March 2017 after becoming ensnared in equipment at the Stormont Wharf within the harbour premises. BHC pleaded guilty to an accusation of neglecting to guarantee the well-being and safety of an individual not directly employed by them. During proceedings at Belfast Crown Court, it was heard that Mr Rooney was engaged in the discharge of coal from a bulk carrier vessel docked at the wharf. The firm employing Mr Rooney was under a contractual obligation to utilize the harbour’s machinery. Mr Rooney’s task involved operating a hopper, an industrial apparatus employed for transferring coal into trucks. The hopper gave way on the morning of the incident, toppling onto a lorry trailer that was in the process of being loaded with coal. He became ensnared within the operator’s cabin located beneath the equipment, and the ensuing rescue efforts were impeded by the combined mass of the fallen hopper and the coal. The cause of Mr Rooney’s death was crush asphyxia. BHC’s admission of the health and safety violation stemmed from the assertion that the hopper was hazardous and that proper inspections, upkeep, and assessments of the equipment had not been conducted. Furthermore, the hopper exhibited a deteriorated structural state, and BHC failed to adequately evaluate this condition, along with a failure to properly prevent overfilling. The presiding judge remarked that those who knew and cared for Mr Rooney “will grieve for the rest of their lives and nothing can fill that void.” The judge further stated, “He loved his job, his farm and most of all he loved his family. He was a man who would do anything for anybody at any time, night or day.” Following the imposition of the penalty, BHC’s chief executive, Joe O’Neill, released a statement, declaring: “The tragic death of Mr Neil Rooney in 2017 has had a profound and lasting impact on many, including the Belfast Harbour Community.” He added, “We are deeply sorry and apologise to his partner, children, wider family, friends and colleagues. Our thoughts continue to be with them.” O’Neill continued, “It is with regret and remorse that we admit to failings that contributed to Mr Rooney’s death, in particular the maintenance and use of our equipment at the time. “We unreservedly accept the fine levied by the court.” He also stated that they had provided complete cooperation with the inquiry. He further mentioned, “Since the accident, we have strengthened our safety processes and protocols even further.” O’Neill concluded, “We are continually assessing, challenging, and improving our health and safety performance, with a relentless focus on accident prevention.” Kevin Campbell, representing the Health and Safety Executive, commented: “In this tragic case there was a failure to inspect, examine and maintain the hopper to ensure that it was safe to use.” He emphasized, “It is vital that all duty holders have a robust inspection and planned maintenance regime for their equipment, taking account of the conditions in which the equipment is used.”