Wife of Strabane farmer who died in farm accident encourages safety

The wife of a Co Tyrone farmer who died from head injuries he sustained when he fell from on top of bales of hay, said yesterday she hoped other members of the farming community would learn from the circumstances of her husband’s death.
59-year-old Christopher Irwin Roulston was found by his wife Kathleen in his farmyard at Moneycannon Road, Strabane, on March 7th.
At the inquest into Mr Roulston’s death yesterday, Northern Ireland’s senior coroner John Leckey was told it was normal practice for Mr Roulston to climb up a ladder and rock or push down the bales from the top.
Each bale weighed 350kg. Mr Roulston sustained multiple head injuries when he fell head first from a height of 2.6 metres.
Brian Pryce, a member of the Health and Safety Executive, told the inquest that machinery to remove bales of hay was available.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Leckey described the circumstances of Mr Roulston’s death as tragic.