Heavy Fine Follows Obel Tower Death

A Belfast-based construction company has been heavily fined after pleading guilty to deadly breaches of health and safety legislation.

In a case brought against Fernwave Limited by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) the business was fined £30,000 plus £1,700 costs.

A representative of Fernwave Limited had previously pleaded guilty to the case arising from the death of a worker at the iconic Obel Tower site in Belfast.

The accident caused the death of Jonathan Friel, a general labourer working on the construction of tower Belfast, and occurred on 11 December 2008.


During the removal of temporary supporting structures under the 4th floor, a large section of plywood beneath an empty service void was left unsupported.

The area around the void was not signed or fenced off and when removing materials from this area, the plywood gave way and Mr Friel fell around 10 metres landing on the concrete surface of the first floor.

He later died in hospital from the injuries sustained in this fall.

The work was not properly planned, managed, or supervised and this accident was said by the HSENI to highlight the well-recognized dangers of work at heights.

After the hearing at Laganside Crown Court in Belfast, the Head of HSENI's Major Investigation Team, Louis Burns said: "We would remind everyone who either works at height or who organizes this type of work, that they must be meticulous in preventing people from falling.

"Falls from height are a well-known killer of people on construction sites and in other work sectors. The steps needed to prevent this accident were very basic indeed."

(NS/BMcC)