Vacuum-Packing Machine Lid Killed Worker As Kildare Town Firm Faces Court Over Second Fatality

Friday, 16 January 2026 17:13

By Martin Osborne

The court heard that on the morning of May 14th 2020, Binak Cokaj, who was working as a packer at the company’s Curragh Road facility in Kildare Town, suffered fatal head injuries when the lid of a Cryovac vacuum-packing machine closed on him while he was at work.

A meat-processing company in Kildare Town has been fined €225,000 following a fatal workplace accident.

At Kildare Circuit Court sitting in Naas today, Judge Elva Duffy imposed the fine on Kildare Chilling Company Unlimited.

This is the second time Kildare Chilling Company has appeared before the courts in relation to a fatal workplace incident.

In January 2022, the company was fined €400,000 at Naas Circuit Court following the death of another employee who was struck and crushed by a mobile forklift truck at the plant in February 2018.

Commenting on today’s case, Health and Safety Authority Chief Executive Mark Cullen said: "A worker tragically lost his life in circumstances that should never occur in any workplace. Employers have a clear legal duty to ensure that machinery is properly maintained, inspected and kept in a safe condition at all times. Failure to do so exposes workers to unacceptable risks. Today’s outcome highlights the serious consequences when these responsibilities are not met.”

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