Inquest finds Sligo binman Daniel Meehan died after fall from defective lorry
Daniel Meehan, 51, a waste collector from Tubbercurry, fell from the back of a defective bin lorry at a housing estate in Ballymore, Co Sligo, on 11 December 2018 and died the next day in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. The lorry had no safety barrier next to the warped footboard and its sensors had been deliberately manipulated. An inquest jury found the death was a result of a severe brain injury following a workplace accident and recommended regular inspections of bin lorries. In early 2024, McGrath Industrial Waste Ltd was fined after pleading guilty to two counts under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court9 Jul
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Daniel Meehan, 51, of Mountain View, Tubbercurry, fell from the back of a defective bin lorry at a housing estate in Ballymore, Co Sligo, on 11 December 2018 and died in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, on 12 December 2018.
- The lorry had no safety barrier next to the warped footboard, and sensors and wiring that should detect someone on the board had been deliberately manipulated.
- The fall occurred shortly after the vehicle rounded a bend and went over a ramp, and the centrifugal force of the turn could have shifted Meehan's centre of gravity.
- Cause
- Meehan suffered multiple skull fractures and brain bleeding and swelling, and went unconscious immediately after the fall.
- In court
- A jury of nine at Dublin District Coroner's Court found the death was a result of a severe brain injury following a workplace accident.
- Other details
- The jury recommended regular inspections of bin lorries to ensure safety bars are intact.
- In early 2024, McGrath Industrial Waste Ltd, based at Moneenbradagh, Co Mayo, was fined after pleading guilty to two counts of failing to discharge duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act.
11 statements extracted from the articles
- whatDaniel Meehan, 51, of Mountain View, Tubbercurry, died in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin on 12 December 2018. (irishtimes.com)
- whatWhen working correctly, the safety features should prevent the vehicle from travelling above 30 km/h or reversing when someone is on the footboard. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe fall occurred shortly after the vehicle rounded a bend and went over a ramp. (irishtimes.com)
- whatDuring the 11 December shift, Meehan did not alight the vehicle to pick up more bins in Castleburn housing estate. (irishtimes.com)
- whatMeehan was taken to Sligo General Hospital where a brain scan reported multiple skull fractures and an acute brain bleed. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA postmortem report noted he went unconscious immediately after the fall and suffered multiple skull fractures and brain bleeding and swelling. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident occurred at a housing estate in Ballymore, Co Sligo. (irishtimes.com)
- causeThe centrifugal force of the turn could have shifted Meehan's centre of gravity before the vehicle went over a ramp. (irishtimes.com)
- courtA jury of nine found the death was a result of a severe brain injury following a workplace accident. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe jury recommended regular inspections of bin lorries to ensure safety bars are intact. (irishtimes.com)
- otherIn early 2024, McGrath Industrial Waste Ltd, based at Moneenbradagh, Co Mayo, was fined after pleading guilty to two counts of failing to discharge duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 9 Jul2026‘No safety barrier’: Sligo binman died after fall from defective lorry, court hears
Inquest findings and HSE testimony on the defective lorry; jury verdict and recommendation for regular inspections; background on 2024 fine of McGrath Industrial Waste Ltd for two counts under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act.
victim, Daniel Meehan, 51, male, irish (judged from name)Daniel Meehan