Farm accident was not preventable

An accident resulting in the death of a 59-year-old man while erecting shuttering on his farm earlier this year, was not preventable or foreseeable, a Coroner’s Court heard yesterday.

Timothy (Teddy) Brosnan lost his life in one of 20 fatal farm accidents so far this year, compared to 16 for all of 2013.

Farm and safety organisations have been calling for greater awareness of safety among farmers.

Mr Brosnan was erecting a concrete wall for a shed with his son, also Timothy, when the shuttering collapsed on him at their family farm at Kilsarcon, Currow, Co Kerry, on May 7.

They had laid the foundations for the wall and the deceased was trying to reposition shuttering when it fell on him, an inquest in Killarney was told.

Mr Brosnan Jr, who was working a machine, said his father noticed a chink of light and was adjusting the shuttering when the shuttering panel began to fall towards him.

His father tried to support the shuttering with his hands, but it was too heavy. It landed on his shoulders and pinned him to the ground.

The emergency services were called and Mr Brosnan was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor.

An autopsy carried out by State pathologist Margot Bolster at Kerry General Hospital, Tralee, found extensive fractures to the ribs, as well as haemorrhage and lacerations and spinal cord injury.

A seven-man jury returned a verdict of accidental death in accordance with the medical evidence.

Coroner Terence Casey said Mr Brosnan’s death was unfortunate. “Accidents can always happen and some are preventable, but this was not preventable or foreseeable at least,” he added.

Last week, Health and Safety Authority chief executive Martin O’Halloran called for safety to become an integral part of farm management.

“We know that awareness levels are high and farmers are positively disposed to farm safety, but we need to translate that awareness into daily behaviour,” he told a farm safety conference.

Three children have died in farm accidents this year, The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association called for a health and safety module for schools with a particular emphasis on farm safety for children in rural areas.