Two companies have pleaded guilty before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to breaching safety laws which led to the deaths of two stonemasons, including a Clare man, who drowned whilst carrying out work on a bridge in Limerick six years ago.
Nationwide Crane Hire Limited and Palfinger Ireland Limited admitted breaching the Health, Welfare and Safety at Work Acts, which led to the deaths of Bryan Whelan from O’Briensbridge and TJ O’Herlihy from Castleisland, Co Kerry.
36 year old ‘TJ’ O’Herlihy, and 29-year old Bryan Whelan, died after they became trapped beneath the surface of the River Shannon in Limerick City, on August 29, 2015.
The men were working from a cage-like platform that was suspended over the side of Thomond Bridge and held by a wire attached to a winch-crane, when the platform plunged into the river.
Mr O’Herlihy and Mr Whelan, who were both wearing life jackets, were also each harnessed into the cage and failed to get out of the structure and died under water.
26 year old Paul Murphy, from Askeaton, Co. Limerick, who was working alongside Mr Herlihy and Mr Whelan on the platform, managed to escape and was rescued in the water later.
Nationwide Crane Hire Limited and Palfinger Ireland Limited both pleaded guilty to breaches of the Health, Welfare and Safety at Work Acts and will be sentenced in July.
