Fatality in underground industrial accident

Companies that service the drains and sewers in Essex and elsewhere in the United Kingdom may require their employees to work in difficult and restrictive conditions. Workmen at one such company that has been operating for more than two decades years have been involved in an industrial accident that has left one of them dead and the other in serious condition in hospital. The Health and Safety Authority in Ireland and local police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The company, which has employees trained in confined space working environments, offers a range of services from CCTV drain inspections to clearing blockages. The two men were working in the sewers in Portmarnock, County Dublin, when the alarm was raised at 2.30 p.m. The Dublin Fire Brigade and ambulance service were sent to the housing estate in the Drumnigh Woods area and in a rescue operation retrieved the two men from the sewers. One of the men was pronounced dead upon his arrival at Beaumont Hospital.

It is believed that the men inhaled poisonous fumes while working in the sewage system at depths of up to 20 feet. Early reports of the accident stated that both the men were dead at the scene, but subsequently only one of them was confirmed as deceased. Two men from the DFB who were part of the rescue operation also received treatment for gas inhalation. A local member of Parliament offered his condolences to all the people involved in the industrial accident.

Employers are required to make risk assessments for all work activities and identify any potential hazards. They then have a duty to provide their employees with adequate instruction, equipment and training to handle these risks safely. A solicitor experienced in workplace injury cases may be able to provide representation for a client who has been injured due to an employer’s negligence.