Review cargo handling, inquest jury urges

A call on the Health and Safety Authority to review cargo unloading arrangements in ships using Irish ports was made by an inquest jury yesterday. The recommendation was made after it heard details of the death of a Dublin docker who was crushed between paper reels in a vessel's hull.

The hearing was told that Mr James McKane (60), of Shanard Avenue, Santry, Dublin, had been standing on a reel in the Swedish-registered MV Unden at Alexander Quay last May 26th. There were four remaining linoboard reels, weighing about three tonnes each, to be removed when the vessel listed. Mr McKane attempted to jump from one reel to another as they moved and came down between two of them.

A colleague, Mr James Carrick, who was also employed by Ocean Manpower and Portroe Stevedores, said the vessel had listed a lot during unloading. He understood a "stabilising belt", which would have reduced this, could not be deployed because of permanent fenders at that berth.

A consultant pathologist, Dr James Kirrane of the Mater Hospital, said a post-mortem showed a trauma fracture of the skull and brain injuries to Mr McKane. He believed death was instantaneous.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.