Man died after falling unconscious in factory duct
Conor McGeough, aged 23, of 56 Derry Park, Crumlin, Dublin, was pronounced dead at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital a short time after he was rushed there by ambulance.
Mr McGeough was employed by a company contracted to clean and maintain ducts at Analog Devices at Raheen Industrial Park.
He was working with others in a 560cm duct on August 5 last. They were taking turns to go into the duct and each would do 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
When a colleague went to Mr McGeough to tell him they were finished, he did not move.
When Mr McGeough was taken out, they removed his face mask and tried to revive him.
Garda Alison Carroll, of Roxboro Road garda station, said she was in a patrol car when she received a message to go to Analog Devices where an accident had occurred.
She removed a bottle which contained methadone from the scene along with a small quantity of hash.
She said the deceased was on a two-year methadone treatment programme at the time of his death.
Pathologist, Dr Jeffrey de Frietas, said a blood sample from the dead man showed some cannabis and methadone contents.
He said the deceased choked on his own vomit and this lead to a heart attack.
Dr de Frietas said Mr McGeough suffocated and this caused heart failure.
In reply to the father of the deceased, Dr Frietas said Mr McGeough may have been sick while moving in the confined duct, but he could not be precise as to what happened in the duct.
A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned by a jury.
The Health and Safety Authority was represented at the hearing.
