Notre Dame president takes responsibility for worker’s death
November 10, 2010 by Fred HosierPosted in: Analysis/Commentary, Falls, Fatality, In this week's e-newsletter, Investigations, Latest News & Views
PDF In a world that’s often focused on blame — and shifting it from place to place — it’s refreshing to see the head of an organization come forward and say, “I’m responsible for our employee’s death.”
The Rev. John Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame, has taken responsibility for the death of 20-year-old Declan Sullivan, a student videographer killed while standing on a hydraulic lift to record football practice.
“Declan Sullivan was entrusted to our care, and we failed to keep him safe,” Jenkins wrote in an e-mail to students, faculty, staff and alumni. “We at Notre Dame and ultimately I, as President, are responsible. Words cannot express our sorrow to the Sullivan family and to all involved.”
Sullivan was killed on Oct. 27 when the lift he was on toppled over. Winds were recorded at 51 m.p.h. at the time.
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development and the university are investigating.
The state is looking at whether safety regulations were broken, such as:
- a rule barring workers from using elevated platforms during storms or high winds, and
- whether Sullivan received training before using the scissor lift.
Sullivan sent two Twitter messages regarding the situation that day before the lift fell over.
He wrote, “Gusts of wind up to 60 miles an hour. Well today will be fun at work. I guess I’ve lived long enough.”
Then, just before the lift toppled, “This is terrifying.”
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Tags: Declan Sullivan, Notre Dame, responsibility, scissor lift
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November 11th, 2010 at 12:20 am
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November 16th, 2010 at 8:07 am
I applaud Notre Dame for taking responsibility. Was Declan an employee or a student? As an employee he should have received training for scissor lift operation which would have included operating the lift in high winds. As a student all I can say is uh-oh.
November 17th, 2010 at 11:56 am
What can you say when someone dies in an accident. Nothing will help the situation except for lets make something positive come out of this disaster.
Training, training. If nothing else works lets get them for training. First of all, the employee may have been completely familiar with the equipment and how to use it. Was he “formally” trained? Don’t know and may not be that big of a deal if he’s been using it for a period of time.
The fault falls on the particular department he was working for. Who oversees this particular operation? Did they even consider the wind factor on the day of the accident? Was the employee ever told if things don’t seem safe in the lift just come down and let me know what’s up.
This is a plain and simple case of management should of, could of, would of, or even if they even thought of what might happen when extended in a platform 20,30,40 feet from the ground for crying out loud. Why didn’t the kid just call the boss and say this is not cool I’m coming down. Too bad.. All too sad. God Bless the family and those close to him.
December 28th, 2010 at 9:20 am
I have trained over 6000 lift operators and nearly every hazardous situation involving aerial lifts can be solved by workplace inspection, training and training retention. See my article in Lift and Access magazine November- December 2010 issue.
I train hundreds of apprentices ( young people like Declan) every year and I make it very clear that there may come a time when you have to walk away from a hazardous workplace condition. It defys logic and common sense to send a worker 20, 50 or 135 feet in the air on a lift and not provide formal training that covers all 37 operator warnings and instructiuons required by ANSI A92 regulations.
I will keep the Sullivan family in my prayers.
Rich Stollery
GAR Equipment Corp.