Limerick roofer fell more than seven metres to his death, inquest hears

A MAN who died while working on the roof of a farm fell more than seven metres to his death.

Pat Cotter from Rockhill, Bruree, had more than 35 years’ experience as a roofer and steel fabricator.

On December 13, 2022, he was working on a roof for a farm extension for Brian Coleman in Locknagrour, Bruree. Mr Coleman was the first to see Mr Cotter lying on the ground of the cattle shed.

He told the Limerick Coroner’s Court at Kilmallock Courthouse that he “got an awful fright. He was moving…I was very worried.”

Mr Coleman told the inquest: “I knew him a long time, he was excellent at his job.”

Mr Coleman’s brother Edward rang 999 and then they called their neighbours.

An off-duty firefighter and his wife, who is a nurse, Donal and Edel Scully, both neighbours of the Coleman’s were among the first people on the scene.

They detected a faint pulse and began chest compressions, before getting a defibrillator from Banogue.

READ ALSO: Hollywood power couple apply for planning at €1m luxury Limerick home

Edward Coleman told the court that he had tea with Pat and then ten minutes later, he walked through the shed and Pat was on the roof laying sheeting.

“I came back no more than three minutes later and he was on the ground. I shouted for Brian, rang 999, saw blood from Pat’s mouth – in my mind it was clear he had fallen from a height,” he told the inquest.

He said: “When the air ambulance came, I knew it wasn’t good, I got an awful shock – one minute I was talking to him and I turned my back and he was gone.”

Health and Safety Authority (HSA) inspector Jean Ryan told the coroner that Mr Cotter, who was 57-years-old, fell approximately 7.2 metres onto concrete and that he fell through an open section of the roof.

She said there were no barriers or controls in place to prevent a fall and that the injuries from the fall were fatal.
At the time, there had been frost and ice.

Ms Ryan agreed with the coroner that this is dangerous work and said: “Working from a height would be deemed very hazardous, it would be necessary to make appointments, so someone is supervising the work.

The inquest heard that the post mortem found that Mr Cotter died from internal blood loss, due to multiple injuries including a head injury.

A jury of two women and four men delivered a verdict of accidental death and recommended that ongoing education and information campaigns continue to explain the HSA regulations to relevant stakeholders.

Limerick Coroner John McNamara sympathised with the family and friends of Mr Cotter and said: “He was clearly a skilled and experienced workman and no doubt well known in his area of expertise. I can see the profound impact on Pat’s family, the Coleman’s and I’m sure all of the neighbours and friends.”

Inspector Gearóid Thompson who was on the scene himself on the day of Mr Cotter’s death sympathised with the family, saying it was a very tragic event that he saw first hand.

In January of this year, Brian Coleman was fined €2,500 as Lacknagrour Farm Limited, in Kilmallock District Court for breaching health and safety regulations.

The breach was for failing to appoint in writing a competent project supervisor for the construction stage of the project.