A recent Coroner’s Inquest into the circumstances of the death of 24 year old Stephen O’Brien from the lower Rathmullen Road, Drogheda in October 2007 when a boiler exploded at the Haribo confectionary factory in Finglas (now closed) might lead to prosecutions for criminal negligence.
The fact that prosecutions may now result in this tragic case is down to the dignified determination and persistence of Stephen’s parents, Ann-Marie and Sean, over a 3-year period. Stephen’s parents refused to accept the outcome of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) investigation which sought to portray the tragedy as an accident and consequently did not, at the time, see fit to refer the case to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
However, the research and independent enquiries undertaken by Stephen’s parents into the incident (helped by the fact that Stephen’s father Sean is an experienced maintenance supervisor with a thorough knowledge of health and safety requirements) ensured that the Coroner’s Inquest heard how the company ordered that vital safety control circuits on the boiler that exploded and killed Stephen were bypassed to ensure continuity of production. It would appear that this decision by the company which was taken in consultation with boiler maintenance contractors KB Combustions Ltd. created a serious safety hazard that lead directly to the explosion.
The Coroner’s Inquest determination of ”death by misadventure” (as opposed to accidental death) means that responsibility for Stephen O’Brien’s death can be apportioned to the company. The evidence amassed by Stephen’s parents, Sean and Ann-Marie, and their 3-year campaign proved crucial in this regard and has resulted in the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) looking at the case again, and this time, sending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
See also: “Parents’ fight for justice” in the October issue of The Socialist (the monthly newspaper of the Socialist Party).
