AFTER hearing how a cargo handler was killed by an aircraft propellor an inquest jury has recommended that a supervisor oversee the guiding in and securing of aircraft at Dublin Airport.
Mr Colm Martin, a married man with a four year old son, was killed instantly when his head was struck by a propellor as he was putting blocks on the front wheels of a freight aircraft.
One of his colleagues, when asked about the procedures involved in putting "chocks" on the wheels of aircraft, told the inquest: "I chocked the plane there before and I nearly walked back into the props [propellors]."
A jury at Dublin City Coroner's Court yesterday recorded a verdict of accidental death on Mr Martin.
In a rider to the verdict, the seven jurors recommended that, in future, a supervisor should be present to "oversee the operation" . The inquest was told that a supervisor had been on duty, but was not present at the bay where the accident occurred.
Mr Martin (36), of Park Avenue, Brackenstown Road, Swords, Co Dublin, began working for Servis Air Ireland Ltd in September 1995 and was working a night shift at Dublin Airport on July 5th/6th, 1996.
His wife, Mrs Annette Martin told the inquest that her husband had left their home at 10.40 pm. to go on duty.
A colleague, Mr Mark Leech who was working with Mr Martin at the time, described how they had driven in an Opel Vectra company car to meet the freight aircraft from Liverpool, which was carrying English daily newspapers.
Mr Martin had been out of work with an injured knee and when he got into the car he had banged his knee on the steering wheel. Mr Leech had asked him if he wanted him to marshal the Plan% but he replied that he was "fine".
The aircraft was arriving at Stand 55, a turn around bay, and Mr Martin had been asked that evening to "marshal" the plane (guide it in).
Mr Martin had used two "wands", carrying one in each hand, to bring the plane to a stop. He then went to chock the front wheels.
Mr Leech said that he then heard a noise like a "zip through the air" and saw Mr Martin lying on the ground in a pool of blood.
Mr Jason Halpin, a ramp and warehouse operative, recalled how he also went out to help unload the aircraft when it arrived shortly after 1 a.m. He said that he saw Mr Martin bending down to put a chock on the front wheel of the plane.
Mr Halpin had jumped up on to a belt loader. When he turned around, he saw Mr Martin "dropping to the ground". He knew immediately that he had been caught by the propellor. After seeing the extent of his injuries, he got into a car and went to fetch an ambulance.
Mr Halpin said that he had received no "formal training" from the company, but had received books on safety procedures. In relation to putting chocks on an aircraft's wheels, he said he had been "shown what to do" by a training officer.
Mr Eamonn Cullen, another Servis Air employee, told the inquest that Mr Martin had told him he was to marshal the aircraft that evening at Stand 55. He had seemed "delighted" that he would be doing this, he said.
When asked about the procedures involved in "chocking" planes in the turn around bays, he said: "I chocked the plane there before and I nearly walked back into the props (propellors)."