Afton wind farm: Companies fined almost £900,000 after guard died from hypothermia at wind farm

The family of a security guard who froze to death at a construction site when he was snowed in have said they now have justice after two companies were fined almost £900,000 for health and safety failings.

Ronnie Alexander was on duty at Afton wind farm, near New Cumnock in East Ayrshire, in January 2018 during bad weather. The 74-year-old was found lying in the snow and later died in hospital from hypothermia.

Northstone NI Ltd and Corporate Service Management were fined a total of £868,800 at Ayr Sheriff Court on Wednesday, the Crown Office said, after previously pleading guilty to failings under health and safety laws.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Alexander’s family said in a statement, issued through Digby Brown Solicitors: “Now we have the sentence we can now say we have justice.

The family of Ronnie Alexander, daughter Laura, 48, and widow Mary, 81, at their home in Kilmarnock.The family of Ronnie Alexander, daughter Laura, 48, and widow Mary, 81, at their home in Kilmarnock.
The family of Ronnie Alexander, daughter Laura, 48, and widow Mary, 81, at their home in Kilmarnock.

“We are gobsmacked at the level of fine handed down by the sheriff – we certainly welcome it.

Read More
Flagship deposit return scheme delayed again, Scottish Green minister confirms

“But ultimately is it all bittersweet because at the end of the day we are still without Ronnie and no punishment can change that.”

The Crown Office said Northstone, which was handed a £768,000 fine, ran the remote site and there were two generators which were set up to provide heating and electricity – both of which had broken a number of times and had not been replaced. There was no back-up generator.

With no landline service and limited mobile phone coverage, an internet phone system was used which required a password and power from the generator, the Crown Office said.

Corporate Service Management, which was fined £100,800, provided guards for the site but had not given them the passwords.

The Crown Office said that despite knowing about the lack of signal, the company expected guards to use their personal mobiles in an emergency.

On January 21, 2018, Mr Alexander and his colleague were the only staff on site. Mr Alexander was on duty in the gatehouse and his colleague was 860 metres uphill at the main compound.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Other workers had arrived in the morning to try and clear the snow but the weather was too bad and they left around 11am, and warned Mr Alexander’s colleague at the main compound if he did not follow them down in the next five to 10 minutes, the road would be blocked.

At this time there was no snow on the 4×4 vehicle provided to the security guard, the Crown Office said.

At 1pm, Mr Alexander’s colleague tried to drive the 4×4 down to the gatehouse but it got stuck.

He tried to walk but the snow was too deep.

At 5pm the guard went to the top of a small hill to get mobile service and called his supervisor to report the 4×4 was trapped in deep snow and the generator had gone out, leaving him without heating and lighting.

Due to the weather the nightshift was cancelled but the two guards who were due to start work at 6pm tried to help their colleagues.

They could not see their colleagues or get further up the hill so returned to their car and emergency services were called.

Mountain rescue teams managed to reach the gatehouse just before midnight where they found Mr Alexander’s colleague.

Mr Alexander was then found lying in snow. He was airlifted to hospital but later died.

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.