Court rulings on fatal workplace accidents in Cyprus

The District Courts of Famagusta and Larnaca have issued rulings concerning fatal workplace accidents following prosecutions by the Department of Labour Inspection. In the Famagusta case, the company Pharma Koumis Kamilaris & Sons Ltd was fined €8,500 after a worker was fatally attacked by a bull due to failure to implement safe milking procedures and adequate risk management systems. An individual involved in the case also received a four-month suspended prison sentence.

In a separate ruling in Larnaca, Michaelas Cleaning Chemicals Ltd was fined €20,000 for safety violations. The case involved a worker who died on July 9, 2023, after falling from a height of 1.45 meters while standing on a pallet lifted by a forklift. The court found that the company failed to provide an authorized certificate for the lifting equipment and failed to preserve the accident scene, as the forklift was moved immediately after the incident. These rulings underscore strict enforcement of workplace health and safety legislation in Cyprus to prevent future occupational hazards.