Belfast Harbour Commissioners fined £110k over man’s death

In a statement issued after the fine was imposed, BHC’s chief executive Joe O’Neill said: “The tragic death of Mr Neil Rooney in 2017 has had a profound and lasting impact on many, including the Belfast Harbour Community.

“We are deeply sorry and apologise to his partner, children, wider family, friends and colleagues. Our thoughts continue to be with them.

“It is with regret and remorse that we admit to failings that contributed to Mr Rooney’s death, in particular the maintenance and use of our equipment at the time.

“We unreservedly accept the fine levied by the court.”

He said they had co-operated fully with the investigation.

“Since the accident, we have strengthened our safety processes and protocols even further,” he added.

“We are continually assessing, challenging, and improving our health and safety performance, with a relentless focus on accident prevention.”

Kevin Campbell of the Health and Safety Executive said: “In this tragic case there was a failure to inspect, examine and maintain the hopper to ensure that it was safe to use.

“It is vital that all duty holders have a robust inspection and planned maintenance regime for their equipment, taking account of the conditions in which the equipment is used.”