A company has been fined €100,000 and one of its directors fined €10,000 and handed suspended prison sentences, following a tragic incident in which a worker lost his life after falling through a skylight on the roof of an agricultural building.
The sentencing took place at the Circuit Criminal Court in Dundalk on July 8th, 2025, presided over by Judge Dara Hayes. The court heard that the fatal accident occurred when the worker stepped onto a Perspex panel being used as a skylight and fell approximately 6.5 metres onto a concrete floor.
The company, Solar Power BK Limited, entered guilty pleas to several health and safety breaches, including:
- Failing to ensure that work at height was properly planned, supervised, and carried out safely, as required under Regulation 95(1) of the General Application Regulations 2007.
- Failing to manage and conduct work activities in a manner that safeguarded the safety, health, and welfare of employees, as stipulated in section 8(2)(a) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
- Specifically, the failures related to the installation of solar panels and the lack of adequate fall prevention measures.
In addition, a director of the company was prosecuted under section 80(1) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. This section holds company officers personally accountable where offences arise from their consent, connivance, or neglect. The director received two concurrent suspended prison sentences of eight months each.
Commenting on the case, Mark Cullen, Interim CEO of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), said:
“Working at height remains one of the most dangerous activities in the workplace when not managed correctly. This tragic case highlights the vital importance of proper planning, supervision, and use of collective control measures to prevent falls. Every employer must carry out a comprehensive risk assessment before beginning such work. This is not just a legal requirement — it’s a life-saving step. Company directors must take this responsibility seriously, as failure to do so can have devastating consequences.”
This case serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities placed on employers and company directors alike when it comes to ensuring safe working conditions, particularly when employees are exposed to the risks of working at height.
