Companies fined €450,000 for Dublin Port worker's death

A cargo handling firm and a machinery manufacturer have been fined a total of €450,000 after the tragic death of a Dublin Port worker. Nicholas Collier, 55, was killed when a forklift-type truck struck him while he worked on August 14, 2019. The court learned that Mr. Collier was not visible to the driver of the container handler due to limited visibility. Both Kalmar Solutions AB, based in Sweden, and Scruttons (NI) Ltd. from Belfast faced charges for violating safety regulations. During the court proceedings, Mr. Collier’s family left the room before distressing footage of the incident was shown. The video from a nearby tug boat captured the vehicle moving at around 25 km/h and running over Mr. Collier. However, two CCTV cameras on the handler did not record him at all. The driver of the handler, who was in a cab three meters high, did not realize there was an impact. Health and Safety Authority inspector Pádraig McMahon reported that safety measures were implemented after the accident. These included having a 4x4 vehicle escort the container handler and improvements like installing mirrors to improve visibility and using zig-zag driving. Judge Martin Nolan expressed his condolences to Mr. Collier's family, recognizing his impact on loved ones and the community. The judge noted that the maximum fine could reach €3 million but imposed €150,000 on Kalmar Solutions and €300,000 on Scruttons, with six months to pay the fines.