fatal accidents

  A Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of baby Ainslie Smith, who died in his sleep in July 2009 has concluded that a faulty cot was to blame. Sadly Ainslie was found by his mother wedged between the mattress and side slats of his cot.  H...

  In a recent late night discussion with friends we found ourselves debating the Parable of the Talents and its parallels with the current political landscape. Probably by most standards a strange parallel to draw but I thought that the disappointme...

  For the best part it can easily be said that Scotland’s judicial system is one to be proud of. It is transparent and adversarial, striving to ensure equality among court users.  While that is generally true, there is one particular aspe...

  Last month in the UK 15 cyclists perished on our roads.  Out of the 15, some 13 of those fatal accidents involved motorised vehicles; Ford Fiesta, Honda Accord, Toyota Aygo, Renault Trafic, Range Rover Sport, Peugeot van, Ford Transit van, BM...

  Nearly two out of five adults have suffered life-threatening experiences, with the average person cheating death at least once, according to new research from MetLife. The nationwide study found that 39% of adults have nearly died in accidents, wi...

  I had only just finished reading about how dangerous the farming industry is when I read that a Scottish salmon farming company had been fined £70,000 after a worker drowned at its site at Loch Heather. The worker tragically lost his life...

  It has been reported that £15 million in compensation has been paid to some of the relatives of those who tragically lost their lives when the helicopter they were in crashed into the North Sea. When a Super Puma Helicopter crashed in to...

  I was saddened to read about the death of a 26 year old woman following what was thought to be a minor injury while horse riding in Turkey.  Charity fundraiser Louise Carolan fell off a horse in Turkey and hurt her knee.  She was tol...

  I saw that yet another Scottish firm has been fined over the death of a worker.  Whiteinch Demolition Ltd who are based in Bishopbriggs pled guilty to Health and Safety breaches at Glasgow Sheriff Court after Bernard McCarroll died whilst dis...

  Is it just me or has there been a spate of cyclists and motorcyclists seriously injured in Scotland’s roads of late? It is regrettable that the most vulnerable on the roads are offered no protection from negligent drivers. The latest inciden...

  I was reading with interest that although Scotland’s most heavily used roads have seen an increase in road safety they still remain the most dangerous in the UK. A report by the Road Safety Foundation has found that the chances of having ...

  Some of my friends at Thompsons have signed up for an 8 hour Cycle Commuter Course run by Cycle Scotland.  The course is aimed at providing cyclists, including new and returning bike enthusiasts, with the skills and confidence to tackle every...

  A family have been awarded £270,000 compensation after the death of a loved one in a motorbike accident. Paul Bellingham died in July 2008 after he was knocked off his motorbike while on holiday in Scotland. Paul and his brother Mark were...

  The Guardian has reported that the NHS is facing an ever increasing compensation bill for mistakes made by maternity-unit staff which result in a baby dying or suffering brain damage or a disability. Doctors and safety campaigners are fighting ...

  I was dismayed to read in the news about the 49 year old diver who died while working on the Acergy Osprey Vessel. It is thought that the diver suffered a heart attack. Emergency services were called, however, by the time the helicopter had made t...

  I was just reading that two Scottish companies have just been fined a total of £400,000 for breaches of health and safety legislation that resulted in the death of a stonemason’s labourer at a Glasgow Construction site. James Kelly ...

  Electric Light Orchestra were one of my favourite bands in the 1970s and I was so sad when I heard that Mike Edwards, who played cello with them, had been killed in an accident. The accident happened when a 600kg bale of hay fell from a tractor...

Another Car Accident, Again?!   Life is full of tragic events, whether we want them to take place or not, which result in unintended consequences. I know it’s a bitch isn’t it, get over it. Take for example ‘Car Accidents’. ...

  A paper making company in Fife has been fined £260,000 after a worker fell through a roof and sustained fatal injuries. Thomas Sturrock was cleaning the roof when it collapsed and he fell through landing on the concrete floor. Tragically Tho...

  I was really saddened to hear that a lollipop lady Audrey Williams, 79 from Ayr died after being involved in a road traffic accident involving a single decker bus while she was on duty. The lollipop lady known otherwise as the Forehill Primary...

  I was very shocked to read that the number of work related deaths in Edinburgh and the Lothians has risen in the past year.  This has led to warnings to employers to take health and safety seriously. The figures that have been released fo...

  I was dismayed to read that the pedestrian death toll on Scotland’s roads has reached five by the 6 January 2011. I was even more astonished to read that the deaths occurred within the space of 24 hours. It appears as though three of these d...

  I have just read about a horrendous accident that occurred on a farm in Berwickshire.  A farmer and a farm worker both suffered serious crushing injuries to their legs after being sucked into a slurry-cleaning machine.  Both of the men r...

  BT were recently fined £300,000 after a worker sustained fatal head injuries during the course of his employment.   David Askew, a power construction engineer, employed by BT fell from a wooden ladder in October 2006 while installing...

  Positively recent statistics have revealed that there has been a decrease in the number of fatal accidents at work in the UK over the last year.   Thompsons are advocates for safer workplaces and work hard with employers, families and the H...