The 61-year-old Baillieston man died from injuries sustained at a workshop next to his workplace at Walkerweld Engineering Limited, Cambuslang when he was struck and trapped under a fallen metal fixture on 21 October 2020.
The cast iron casing adjacent to the point where the fixture had been lifted had broken away, causing it to fall forward trapping Mr Boyle underneath.
In his determination, Sheriff Reid found that the accident could have been avoided if a number of precautions were taken:
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Clear colour‑coding of lifting accessories (e.g. red/yellow markings).
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Better awareness and training on lifting, slinging, and rigging procedures.
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Formal lift planning and method statement review.
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Toolbox talks and periodic assessment of training needs.
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Designation of a responsible person to approve lift plans.
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Identification of safe lifting points on heavy fixtures.
Unlike a criminal trial, an FAI seeks to establish the facts surrounding the death and is not a hearing which apportions blame.
The purpose of an inquiry is to establish the circumstances of the death and to consider what steps, if any, may be taken to prevent other deaths in similar circumstances.
The Procurator Fiscal, who acts in the public interest, provided detailed and comprehensive evidence to the Inquiry on the facts and circumstances of Mr Boyle's death.
Following the publication of the determination, Debbie Carroll of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scotland’s death investigation authority, said:
“We note the Sheriff’s determination.
“The Procurator Fiscal ensured that the full facts and circumstances of George Alan Boyle’s death were provided at the mandatory Fatal Accident Inquiry.
“The Determination has been provided to Mr Boyle's family and our thoughts are with them at this time.”
Further information
It is the role of the Crown to investigate all accidental deaths in the course of employment, to prepare the mandatory FAI and to bring forward evidence at the FAI that is relevant to the circumstances of the death all in the public interest. For more information on Fatal Accident Inquiries see the Crown's guide.