Coroner finds safety breaches caused death of Irish seasonal worker

Thursday 7 August 2025 · 6 outlets · 5 reports · updated Thu 7 Aug 2025, 10:38am

A coroner has ruled that the death of 24-year-old Sean Clear could have been prevented by simple safety steps. The Irish worker was electrocuted in February 2023 on a central North Island farm when an excavator contacted powerlines. The coroner found the employer failed to brief workers on safety procedures.

How they headlined it

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1. StuffThu 7 Aug 2025, 5:00am

   Irishman’s death at work on NZ farm highlights safety failures of company (opens in new tab)

2. The Post via Waikato TimesThu 7 Aug 2025, 5:00am

   Coroner says Irish worker killed on farm could have been saved by ‘simple, no-cost steps’ (opens in new tab)

   Also on Waikato Times (opens in new tab)

3. RNZThu 7 Aug 2025, 5:02am

   Coroner finds NP & MA Coogan Partnership breached health and safety obligations prior to fatal accident (opens in new tab)

4. NZ HeraldThu 7 Aug 2025, 7:00am

   Workers for Coogan Contracting not briefed on power line safety before Sean Clear’s electrocution death (opens in new tab)

5. 1News via RNZThu 7 Aug 2025, 10:38am

   Coroner finds firm breached safety obligations prior to fatal workplace accident (opens in new tab)