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Estate death inquiry due to begin Worker died on first day in post
(1 day later)
A fatal accident inquiry into the death of a gamekeeper more than three years ago is scheduled to get under way in the Scottish Borders. A fatal accident inquiry has heard how an estate worker died on his first day covering for the regular gamekeeper.
Douglas Armstrong, 53, died in 2004 after his quad bike crashed on the Philiphaugh Estate near Selkirk. Douglas Armstrong, 53, was given no means of communication or told to check in at the end of his working day.
It took 52 hours before he was reported missing and subsequently found dead. It took 52 hours before it was realised he was missing and subsequently found dead on an estate near Selkirk in 2004.
The inquiry at Selkirk Sheriff Court is expected to examine the issue of keeping in contact with lone workers in rural areas. A search was only launched after the regular gamekeeper realised he had not heard Mr Armstrong's quad bike going
The trustees of the estate were fined £3,000 last year after admitting a health and safety breach in connection with Mr Armstrong's death in October 2004. past his house. The inquiry continues.
They pleaded guilty to failing to provide a means of communication or carrying out a risk assessment for a lone worker to report in at the end of a shift. Mr Armstrong died after his quad bike crashed on the Philiphaugh Estate in October 2004.
The fatal accident inquiry had been due to start earlier this year but it was delayed to allow all parties to prepare for the hearing. I got home from the hospital on the Tuesday but I knew something was wrong on the Wednesday morning when I never heard the quad bike go past the house on the regular run Ian GirdwoodGamekeeper
It is expected to last for a total of three days. The inquiry was told he usually carried out other duties on the estate where he lived but had agreed to cover for regular gamekeeper Ian Girdwood, 57, while he recovered from an operation.
The hearing was told Mr Girdwood had raised the alarm after failing to hear Mr Armstrong's quad bike passing his home.
He estimated the fatal accident had happened on the morning of Monday, 20 October, 2004 but it was not until lunchtime on Wednesday that the body was discovered about 200 yards from the bike.
"I got home from the hospital on the Tuesday but I knew something was wrong on the Wednesday morning when I never heard the quad bike go past the house on the regular run," said Mr Girdwood.
"I went up to the workshop where the quad bike would be and it was not there but all the fuel that was to be used was still intact.
"That is when the alarm bells were ringing."
Cross-examination
He went on a search with estate worker Cameron Gray who found Mr Armstrong's body.
Mr Girdwood then telephoned 999 on his mobile phone to alert the emergency services.
He accepted under cross-examination that Mr Armstrong had not been given a mobile phone to keep in touch or asked to check in with anyone at the end of the shift.
Mr Girdwood also admitted that Mr Armstrong had not been wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
The three-day inquiry, which is expected to examine in detail the issue of employers keeping in touch with lone workers in rural areas, continues.