Safety authority to prosecute Mayo factory over the death of employee

The Oasis factory in Ballina, Co Mayo, where a 26-year-old employee lost his life last year, is to be prosecuted by the Health…

The Oasis factory in Ballina, Co Mayo, where a 26-year-old employee lost his life last year, is to be prosecuted by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA).

Summonses have been issued by the HSA and the hearing is fixed for Ballina District Court on July 24th.

James Collins died following an accident in the water-cooler plant at Bunree Road, Ballina on June 6th, 2000. Mr Collins, a single man, who lived in Crossmolina, became trapped in a machine for grinding plastic containers after he tried to release a blockage.

He was only freed hours later after his trapped leg was amputated with the use of a hydraulic cutter.

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His death, along with details which emerged at an inquest last week, have raised questions about safety standards at Oasis.

During the two-day inquest, conducted by the coroner for south Mayo, Mr John O'Dwyer, evidence was given that sometimes the machine would get blocked twice a day, depending on how sharp the blades were.

A colleague of the dead man described the rotor-grinding unit in which Mr Collins became entrapped as "a fearsome machine" and said workers "always dreaded it". The seven-member jury returned a verdict of misadventure.

It has since been confirmed that the Health and Safety Authority, which inspected the plant following the accident, is taking a case against the company.

Oasis is being summonsed under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989; the Factories Act 1955 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Applications) Regulations 1993.