Power worker who died on job was not wearing seat belt

The death of a line worker in a vehicle accident in the Scottish Borders could have been avoided if he had been wearing a seat belt and had not taken a short cut, a sheriff has determined.

Robert McArthur, 32, was driving an elevating work platform while working on an electricity line near Whitchester House, near Longformacus, in January 2021 when the accident happened.

A fatal accident inquiry at Jedburgh Sheriff Court heard he deviated from an approved access route and went over sloping terrain which resulted in the vehicle toppling over.

He was thrown from his driving seat and the platform landed on top of him. He suffered a fatal head injury.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said he could find no defects in any working system which contributed to the death.

He said: "There are two precautions which could reasonably have been taken which might realistically have resulted in the death being avoided, namely the wearing of the seat belt and adherence to the approved access route."

Sheriff Paterson said there had been common consent that Mr McArthur, from Kincardine, Fife, was a conscientious employee and it appeared by nature he was someone who wished always to "get on" with things.

But he added it could only be a matter of speculation on why Mr McArthur had deviated from the approved route.

He had 13 years experience as a linesman and was employed by Keltbray.