Bridge fall man ‘flouted safety advice’

THE foreman in charge on the night a shotblaster fell to his death on the Forth Bridge yesterday told an inquiry that the man who died should “never” have been on the incomplete walkway in the first place.

George Lowe said that like all workers on the project to repaint the bridge, Robert MacDonald would have been warned on starting work not to take unauthorised routes.

The fatal accident inquiry at Dunfermline Sheriff Court has already heard Mr MacDonald, 52, from Harthill, was part of a painting gang who all decided to take the route down a diagonal from one of the highest points on the structure in January 2010.

Mr Lowe, 38, giving evidence on the third day of the inquiry, said: “You are told in induction that the whole job is scaffold-based and you should only walk on the green walkways. You should never, ever cross something with a double hand rail.”

The inquiry was adjourned until 13 December.