Coroner stresses importance of farm safety after Ballyglass death

Anton McNulty

A BALLYGLASS farmer died as a result of a head injury after he fell from a trailer while moving round bales of silage during the summer.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded into the death of 51 year-old Patrick Quinn of Castlelucas, Ballyglass, who died on the morning of June 30, 2018. The inquest heard that he fell off a bale trailer which was being moved by his brother Paul and sustained fatal head injuries as a result.
He was attended to at the scene and brought by ambulance to Mayo University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The post mortem into his death found that he died as a result of subarachnoid haemorrhage [bleeding on the surface of the brain] caused by a fracture to the base of the skull sustained in the fall from a trailer.
Dr Fadel Bennani, the Consultant Pathologist said a subarachnoid haemorrhage was usually fatal immediately, and that the head injury was a result of the fall from the trailer and not the contact with the trailer wheel.
Mr Patrick O’Connor expressed his sincere condolences to Mr Quinn’s family, particularly to his brother Paul, saying that it was a tragedy for them and for the wider Ballyglass community. He also stressed the importance of farm safety.
“This was a tragic accident which occurred to a man out in a field in the middle of summer …[but] it does happen far too often. Farming is the golden industry in Ireland but it is also a dangerous occupation. Every year there are fatalities on farms and it is beholden on everyone on farms, whether they are herding cattle or driving machinery, to be careful all the time because accidents do happen unfortunately,” he said.
The inquest into his death was held in Castlebar Courthouse last week and heard evidence from a number of witnesses who said they were baling in a field rented by Patrick Quinn at Cloughnageeragh, Doonamona, Ballyglass, Claremorris.
Brian Flynn of Fallon Agri said he arrived at the field at 8.15am and started baling at 8.30am. Also present were Patrick and Paul Quinn and their first cousin Kevin Flaherty, who was helping to move bales.
Paul Quinn said that when he arrived he told Patrick that their trailer was too close to a hedge and to move it for easier access on both sides.
John Flaherty, a first cousin of the two men, was walking into the field at this time and noted that Patrick Quinn was standing on a centre bar of the bale trailer. He explained he noticed the tractor moving slowly when Patrick slipped and fell into the path of the left wheel of the trailer.
Mr Flaherty said he shouted on Paul Quinn to stop but it was too late. He said it all happened in a second.
Paul Quinn said he had only moved the tractor four to five feet when he heard Mr Flaherty shouting at him to stop. He had no idea what was going on. He said at no point was he aware that his brother had stood on the trailer.
A report from the Health and Safety Authority found that all men involved were experienced in operating farm machinery but no formal tractor operator’s course had been completed. There were no issues regarding the machinery on the day.
Mr Thomas Walsh, solicitor for the Quinn family, said that on behalf of the family he would like to thank all their neighbours for their kindness following the accident and also thank the jury, gardaí and Mr O’Connor.