Workplace Safety • Resilience • Disability Inclusion
Still Climbing
Lester has lived with the consequences of a workplace fall since he was 19. He tells his story so others never have to tell theirs.
One fall, a lifetime of change
Lester Cassidy was 19 and working as an apprentice carpenter when a fall from scaffolding on a Leixlip building site left him with a spinal cord injury and in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Today, he speaks with site teams, managers and organisations about the lifelong impact of one workplace fall, and the actions that help everyone go home safely.
24 ft
The distance Lester fell in 1998
19
Lester’s age when his life changed
764 m
The summit of Croagh Patrick, reached in 2022
€150,000
Raised for Spinal Injuries Ireland and the National Rehabilitation Hospital
Why Lester’s message matters
“Behind every number is a person. A family. A life changed forever.”
Lester Cassidy
Falls from height remain one of the most serious risks in construction. Manuals, guidance and safety videos explain the rules, but they can’t show what it costs when something goes wrong in a genuine, visible way like Lester can.
He was once the young lad on site himself, so he speaks to workers on their level, with empathy rather than blame. In the almost 30 years since, he has built a full life as a husband, a father of three and a fundraiser, despite the severe injury he lives with.
Every worker in the room knows it could have been them.
Sources: HSA and HSENI, February 2026; HSA, January 2026.
68 lives
Construction workers killed by falls from height across the island of Ireland, 2016 to 2025
10 deaths
Construction workers killed in Ireland in 2025, double the year before
33 lives
Farm workers killed by falls from height across the island over the same ten years
Simple steps, safer sites
“We can make a decision that saves five minutes. And sometimes, that decision can have consequences that last a lifetime.”
Lester Cassidy
Know the plan
Before you start, know how the job will be done safely. If nobody has told you, ask.
Trust your gut
If something feels wrong, it usually is. That feeling is there for a reason, so stop and take another look.
Speak up
Say it, even if you’re the newest or youngest on site. A minute of awkwardness is nothing compared to a lifetime of regret.
Use your common sense
Check the scaffold, the ladder or the harness before you trust your weight to it. Don’t rush and don’t cut corners.
“Remember, it’s about getting everyone home safely.”
Lester Cassidy
Talks shaped around your audience
Workplace safety
A firsthand account of a fall from height and its lifelong impact, and the simple things every worker can do: use your common sense, trust your gut and speak up. For safety days, site events, toolbox talks and conferences.
Resilience and motivation
A story of adapting after a spinal cord injury, recovering from brain surgery and reaching the summit of Croagh Patrick with a community behind him.
Disability inclusion
An honest account of life as a wheelchair user, focused on accessibility, participation and the assumptions that can hold people back.
Nobody climbs alone
On 25 June 2022, Lester reached the summit of Croagh Patrick in a specially built buggy, supported by teams of family, friends and volunteers.
Together they raised €150,000 for Spinal Injuries Ireland and the National Rehabilitation Hospital.
Bring a memorable message to your next event
Every talk is shaped around the audience and the purpose of the event, from site teams and safety campaigns to conferences, schools and community groups.