Notre Dame Fined $77,500 For Student Death

The fine is based on five violations leading to a Long Grove, Ill., student's fall from a hydraulic lift

The University of Notre Dame has been fined $77,500 for the death of a student videographer who fell from a hydraulic scissor lift last year.

The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration cites the school for five violations, including not maintaining safe working conditions and failing to properly train Declan Sullivan, a 20-year-old junior film student, to operate the lift.

Sullivan was filming football practice from the lift when it toppled over in strong wind gusts. He died Oct. 27.

A bulk of the school's fine -- $55,000 -- belongs to "knowingly exposing its employees to unsafe conditions by directing its untrained student videographers to use the scissor lift during a period of time when the National Weather Service issued an active wind advisory with sustained winds and guests in excess of the manufactured specifications and warnings."

The National Weather Service said winds in the area that day were gusting to 51 mph time when the hydraulic lift toppled. IOSHA ruled the death a workplace fatality.

After the accident, Notre Dame's president sent an e-mail to students, faculty, staff and alumni saying the school is responsible for Sullivan's death because it failed to protect him.

"Declan Sullivan was entrusted to our care, and we failed to keep him safe," the Rev. John Jenkins wrote. "We at Notre Dame and ultimately I, as President are responsible. Words cannot express our sorrow to the Sullivan family and to all involved."

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