Lessons to be learned from road supervisor's death
A CORONER said today (Thursday) that lessons should be learned from the circumstances of the death of a roads supervisor with Mayo County Council who died when a lorry with a tarsprayer attached backed into him last year.
Fifty-eight-year old John McNicholas from Lismirrane, Bohola, died instantly after being hit by the tarring unit close to Knockmore village on June 9, 2015.
Mr. McNicholas sustained multiple abdominal and pelvic injuries.
Pathologist Dr. Fadel Bennani told today's inquest the post-mortem indicated no sign of coronary or heart disease.
He agreed with solicitor Mr. Pat O'Connor, representing the dead man's family, that Mr. McNicholas was a healthy man who died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident.
After returning a verdict of accidental death, James Walshe, foreman of the inquest jury, said the circumstances of the accident illustrated how difficult and dangerous road works can be with so many vehicles sometimes operating on very narrow roadways.
Mr. Walshe suggested a rear camera be installed on such tarsprayer units which would activate automatically once the vehicle goes into reverse.
He also recommended a second person inside the cab of the vehicle to monitor what was being shown on the camera.
The coroner, Dr. Eleanor Fitzgerald, who said the accident had been hugely tragic and distressing for all concerned, stressed the danger involved in working with large vehicles on road making and mending operations.
She recommended a second person outside the vehicle to monitor the situation when the vehicle was reversing.
On behalf of the staff of Mayo County Council, Mr. Ward McEllin, solicitor, said John McNicholas had been a very popular and hardworking member of the council staff who was missed by all his colleagues.
Speaking on behalf of the dead's man wife, Ann, and family, Mr. Pat O'Connor, solicitor, said that it added to the sadness that John would have become a grandfather if he had lived a further two weeks.
He said the colleagues of Mr. McNicholas suffered trauma, particularly those who were working with him that day, and repeated earlier remarks that there are lessons to be learned from the accident.