02.02.2023

Fatal entrapment incident

We have received several reports of a fatal incident in Aberdeen in which a man using a platform, said to be a mast boom, struck an overhead beam.

The man, 51, was working at the new Baird family hospital project in the city being built by main contractor Graham. The incident occurred on January 18th, but we have still not been able to categorically confirm that the fatality did in fact involve a platform, although from the information we have received from several sources it does seems that this was the case. The man died at the scene having suffered a serious head injury.

A spokesperson for the main contractor said: “We are deeply saddened to confirm a fatality at the Foresterhill Health Campus in Aberdeen today. We are in discussions with the sub-contractor involved, as well as the emergency services and the Health and Safety Executive and we have paused all related work. We will fully cooperate with any investigation. Our thoughts are with the family of the deceased, and we will support our colleagues as best we can at this difficult time.”

The HSE and local police are carrying out a joint investigation into the incident.

We will of course update this item as we receive more information.

UPDATE
March 21st 2024

UK contractor NG Bailey has been charged more than £145,000 for the death of Alistair Hutton, 51, the sub-contractor who died in the incident involving.

He was driving the platform, down an unfinished corridor and through a door opening when his head struck the steel lintel. The impact rendered him unconscious and he died at the scene.

A Health and Safety Executive investigation found that main contractor NG Bailey, failed to consider overhead obstructions, especially when driving aerial work platforms at height in its risk assessments. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 3(1) and 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £135,000 plus a victim surcharge of £10,125.

HSE inspector Graham McEvoy said: “There was a failure by NG Bailey to consider available guidance and the work that was being done, which led to inadequate risk control measures being implemented and unsafe working practices developing.”