Antrim Contractors Sentenced After Workplace Fatality

Two County Antrim contractors have been hit with a fine over health and safety breaches after a death in the workplace.

Self-employed James (Gary) Wadsworth from Lisburn, and Paul McMullan from Dundrod pleaded guilty and were prosecuted at Lisburn Magistrates' Court, with each being fined £1,000 in relation to health and safety failings.

The prosecution followed the death in 2020 of James (Jim) Carlisle, a 58-year-old, self-employed contractor who fell from height during a re-roofing project.

Lee Dougan, an Inspector with HSENI's Major Investigation Team said: "Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related deaths within the construction sector.


"All employers, including self-employed contractors, have a legal responsibility to plan and organise work to ensure it can be carried out safely. If work at height cannot be avoided, a safe means of access must be provided such as mobile elevated work platforms or suitably constructed scaffolding."

The HSENI investigation established that all three men were working on the replacement of a shed roof at a farm in Hillsborough on 01 September 2020. During the construction work, Mr Carlisle fell approximately 4.4 metres from an unguarded platform and tragically died at the scene.

The platform consisted of three timber planks spanning an internal shed wall and a cage supported by a telescopic handler. There were no control measures in place to prevent falls from height during the construction work and the method of work employed was inherently unsafe.

Immediately following the incident, a health and safety inspector attended the scene and served enforcement notices prohibiting any further work at height activities from taking place until appropriate safety measures were put in place.