Tragic Harthill workman fell to death from Forth Rail Bridge

Feb 4 2010 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A WORKMAN tragically died after falling 150 feet on the Forth Rail Bridge.

Robert MacDonald, from Baillie Avenue in Harthill, was working as part of a Network Rail team painting the north side of the bridge when he plunged from a ladder.

The 52-year-old landed on scaffolding below the railway tracks and died at the scene, shortly before 9pm last Wednesday.

Police, paramedics and life boat crews were called out but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr MacDonald was a sub-contractor for Balfour Beatty and was working to strip off old paintwork from the bridge, which connects North and South Queensferry, and then repainting it.

The Harthill man’s death was followed by another fatality hours later of a second Network Rail employee, David Rodger from Cowdenbeath, who died after a fall on the Tay Bridge.

Network Rail Route Director David Simpson said: “It is with great sadness that we have received news of the deaths of two of our contractors who were working on the Forth and Tay Bridges.

“At 8.50pm on Wednesday night, a member of the painting team working at the Forth Bridge fell from height and subsequently died from his injuries.

“These tragic events have deeply shocked and saddened everyone linked to these projects. Such events have become extremely rare in the last decade as result of rigorous safety regimes on both bridges. An investigation into the causes of these accidents is already underway.

“Our thoughts today are with the family, friends and co-workers of these two men.”

The last recorded death of a worker at the Forth Bridge was in 1992 when an employee died when he was clipped by a train.

British Transport Police enquiries into the circumstances surrounding Mr MacDonald’s death are ongoing and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

A Balfour Beatty spokesperson said the company was cooperating with the investigation.

They said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of our colleague, as we seek to identify the cause of this sad incident.”